Though China still has relatively few cars, its crowded cities are choking on traffic. Beijing's narrow lanes are stuffed with long, exhaust-belching traffic at rush hour. A police radio station broadcasts bulletins on how to avoid chronic congestion. In the countryside, roads are devouring scarce farmland, environmentalists warn. Driving in China isn't for the faint of heart.
Most drivers have only a few years' experience.
Many drive as if they were still cycling, weaving from lane to lane without signalling and frightening crowds of pedestrians . Drivers run red lights and park on sidewalks. Thousands drive on licences bought from corrupt officials or obtained through personal connections. News reports on fatal crashes often note the driver didn't bother getting a licence at all. In Shanghai, traffic accidents kill an average of four people a day, police say.