A facial recognition system at crossroads has been adopted in several parts of China to prevent jaywalkers from running red lights, a long-standing problem for Chinese traffic management authorities.
The system has been installed in cities of several provinces including Shandong, Jiangsu, Henan and Guangdong. With an electronic display erected by the crossing, those who run the light will find their images exposed on it within 10 seconds.
Being linked to a police database, the system could therefore directly lead the police to those breaking the law. The accuracy rate has exceeded 90 percent, according to police in Suqian, Jiangsu Province.
Jinan, the provincial capital of Shandong, has also adopted the system. According to official data, in 2016, traffic accidents caused by jaywalkers running on red lights accounted for 16 percent of road accidents, and those caused by non-motor vehicles accounted for 33.4 percent.
Since the installation of the system in May, more than 6,200 red-light running cases have been captured. People caught running on red lights will have to pay penalties as well as receive traffic security education.
According to the police in Jinan, the system will be installed at about 50 major crossings in the coming months.
"Chinese style of crossing the road", which refers to crowds of people running the red light, was such a common phenomenon in China that it once became a trending hashtag on China's Sina Weibo.
It is also a headache for traffic police, as it usually causes hazards and meanwhile adds difficulties to traffic management.
