About 31,000 road accidents have been reported in China since a series of new requirements for driving tests took effect on May 1, down 8.9 percent year on year, according to the Ministry of Public Security (MPS).
The accidents resulted in 7,848 deaths, a 16.5-percent decrease, a statement released Thursday by the ministry said.
In February, the ministries of pubic security and transport jointly issued a guideline to raise licensing requirements for passenger and cargo driving tests in a bid to boost drivers' safety and reduce accidents.
The guideline requires passenger vehicle training to include simulations for rainy, snowy and emergency conditions, while the final road tests include driving in tunnels, on slopes, highways and nighttime driving.
According to the MPS, more than 200 cities across the country have set up monitoring centers for driving tests and adopted real road tests in different environments for drivers of large- and medium-size vehicles.
Meanwhile, police nationwide have maintained crackdowns on drunk driving, speeding, overloaded vehicles and other driving violations, handling 1,472 related cases since May 1.
