The Chinese Ministry of Communications requires continued efforts to curb the overloading of vehicles, although the country has made primary achievements in this respect.

Truck overloading, a serious problem threatening traffic safety all over China, is still common in north China, and the five provincial governments of north China conducted a joint inspection beginning from Dec. 1, imposing punitive measures on those responsible.

Statistics shows that accidents caused by overloading account for 30 percent of all accidents, and property losses due to overloading amount to 50 percent of all traffic losses.

In the first 10 months of this year, 2,320 truck-overloading accidents occurred in Beijing, claiming 314 lives and causing 1,764 injuries.

Overloading accidents cause an average of one death each day in the capital, the statistics show.

(Xinhua News Agency December 10, 2003)