China has 240 million automobiles, 260 million drivers

The number of people licensed to drive cars in China has exceeded 200 million, an increase of 26.47 million year-on-year, the Ministry of Public Security's statistics here showed.

The statistics showed that there were 240 million automobiles on the roads by the end of 2012, and a total of 260 million license holders for all types of vehicles, including motorcycles, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, the number of road accidents involving deaths or injuries dropped by 3.1 per cent in 2012, and the death toll by 3.8 per cent.

The number of accidents claiming more than three lives decreased by 15 per cent.

 

The ministry said the number of deaths on countryside roads increased by 13.9 per cent year-on-year.