Tough rule ensures traffic safety

"Vehicles have to slow down or stop near a crossing when pedestrians don't obey the lights when they cross the road," she said. "That disrupts traffic flow and leads to accidents that block traffic."

Jaywalkers can receive a warning or be fined up to 50 yuan ($7.9) for crossing roads in defiance of red lights, according to the Road Traffic Safety Law in China.

But the law is rarely enforced.

Wang from the China Road Transport Association said law enforcement measures targeting non-drivers were in place for a short time years ago in Beijing, but soon those measures were abandoned.

"The shortage of law enforcement staff is a big problem," she said.

With so many jaywalkers and a small number of police officers to catch them, it has proved extremely difficult to make sure that violators get the punishments they deserve, she said.

Jiang Jing, an official at the Beijing Public Security Bureau, said jaywalking still occurs in many places in China, and "it's impossible for traffic police to punish every violator".

"Some walkers and cyclists are a little too bold and don't even turn their heads to see if a car is coming at them," said Jiao Liang, a white-collar worker in Hefei, Anhui province, who drives to work every day.

"I have to be more cautious so I don't run them over."

Liu Fuli, an expert in traffic congestion, said drivers often come in for tough punishment under traffic rules, even if they are in accidents that were caused by pedestrians. Knowing that they are favored has made walkers in some cases to be more likely to commit violations, he said.

Traffic police have recognized this tendency and have started to adjust their methods accordingly.

In Shenzhen, Guangdong province, the penalty for crossing a road during a red light has gone up from 20 yuan to 100 yuan for each violation. And in Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, jaywalkers from the start of October had to pay up to 50 yuan for violations, media reported.

Some experts said better traffic planning could help to reduce the number of violations.

"Roads in many big cities are designed with motorists in mind, and pedestrians' needs are ignored," Chen said. "Roads are becoming wider, forcing pedestrians to cross them more quickly. Traffic signals can be improved so pedestrians won't have to wait at red lights longer than drivers."

Guo Anfei in Kunming and Zhao Lei in Beijing contributed to this story.