Since June 1, 68 of Shenzhen's surveillance cameras have been performing a new function -- videotaping 13 kinds of traffic offenses, the city's traffic police bureau said at a press conference Sunday.

The 68 cameras have been selected from more than 200 existing surveillance cameras to videotape such traffic violations as driving in the wrong lane, making illegal U-turns or left turns, and stopping vehicles at zebra crossings or yellow squares. In the past, cameras were mainly used to record vehicles running red lights and speeding.

The surveillance cameras recorded a total of 2,825 traffic offenses from June 1 to 10, or nearly 300 every day. Drivers involved in the recorded offenses face fines ranging from 50 yuan (US$6.2) to 200 yuan for each offense.

To adapt to the increasing demand, the number of staff members in the traffic police bureau responsible for video recordings has increased from four to eight.

More than half of the videotaped offenses dealt with vehicles used wrong lanes. Most of the offenses were recorded on the North Ring Road, where lorries drove in lanes meant for small cars. Some 531 cases were related to vehicles stopping at zebra crossings or yellow squares. And another 500 cases recorded dealt with vehicles making illegal U-turns or left turns at crossings. Many of these offenses were recorded on Fumin Road.

With a 360-degree rotation capability, the surveillance cameras have a recording ability of up to several hundred meters. These cameras cover almost all road sections within the Special Economic Zone, some roads in Bao'an, Longgang districts and some expressways. The traffic police bureau said it would gradually expand the monitoring network.

(Shenzhen Daily June 12, 2006)