China traffic czars have been pushing for a more effective tack in encouraging drivers to wear their seat belts and it has nothing to do with imposing harsh penalties.

The Beijing Traffic Management Bureau said "softer and more persuasive measures" like conducting educational campaigns and advertisements showing the fatal consequences of not wearing a seat belt are more effective than issuing punishments to violators in the long term

Like Us on Facebook

The traffic bureau said it will start imposing penalties  of 50 yuan ($8) for drivers and 20 yuan for passengers who are  caught not using their seat belts. Also, drivers who don't buckle up on highways and freeways will also receive a two-point deduction on their annual 12-point driving record.

This is the third time since 2006 that the traffic czars conducted a nationwide crackdown on violators following an increase in deaths caused by car crashes recorded last year.

Records from the traffic regulation authority showed that for every 10,000 car accidents in China, an average of 6.2 people died last year, four times the equivalent rate in developed countries.

The high death rate was  blamed on the drivers and passengers not using their seat belts but meting out harsh punishments and issuing heavy penalties were not the ideal solution according to a Chinese professor.

"Yes, the habit of driving without wearing a seat belt has a lot to do with the high death rate in crashes in China. But while issuing punishments might work as a deterrence for violators, it's not an ideal solution in the long term," said Zhang Zhuting, a professor at the Ministry of Transport's Management College.

Zhang said the government should focus its campaign programs on reminding the motorists of  safe driving methods and emphasizing the consequences of not using a seat belt in commercials and advertisements.

The professor said imposing fines are still necessary since China has not yet developed into an "auto" society.

.Drivers are divided on the issue of punishments imposed on violators.

A taxi driver said rewards and punishments are needed to change the drivers' attitude in wearing a seat belt.

He said it will take a long time to change people's behavior and a penalty of 50 yuan won't be strong enough to change the drivers' habit of not wearing a seatbelt.

Tagsseat belt, traffic, Beijing Traffic Management Bureau