China's motorist population tops 300 million
The number of motorists in China now exceeds 300 million, up from 200 million at the end of 2010, the Ministry of Public Security reported.
The number of automobile motorists as of the end of November totaled 244 million, with motorcyclists representing another 56 million motorists, the ministry said.
Among motorists, 20 percent are female, 9 percent are less than 25 years old, and a little more than 1 percent are more than 60 years old.
The data also suggests that China's automotive market has not yet matured. Nearly 10 percent of the motorists have less than one year's experience in driving.
It has taken just four years to add 100 million new drivers in China, and 35 of its cities now have more than 1 million vehicles, with major urban centers like Beijing and Shenzhen having twice that number, the ministry said.
The rising number of motorists will boost vehicle demand while increasing the burden on cities already struggling to cope with pollution and congestion. The public security ministry said separately this week that it is looking at making it easier to get a license by removing the need for mandatory driver's education classes.
"Congestion is already pretty bad, especially in tier-one cities," said Lin Huaibin, a Shanghai-based analyst at IHS Automotive, referring to the biggest metropolitan areas. "The government is already trying to tackle pollution issues."
Automakers are expected to sell about 23 million new vehicles this year, according to a forecast by the state-backed China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou have implemented caps on the number of new autos as part of measures to control tailpipe emissions.
Even as the number of drivers has risen, cases of major traffic accidents have fallen, the ministry said. Deaths caused by speeding accidents dropped 36 percent in the past two years, while those due to drunk driving decreased 39 percent, it said.
Among motorists, 20 percent are female, 9 percent are less than 25 years old, and a little more than 1 percent are more than 60 years old.
The data also suggests that China's automotive market has not yet matured. Nearly 10 percent of the motorists have less than one year's experience in driving.
It has taken just four years to add 100 million new drivers in China, and 35 of its cities now have more than 1 million vehicles, with major urban centers like Beijing and Shenzhen having twice that number, the ministry said.
The rising number of motorists will boost vehicle demand while increasing the burden on cities already struggling to cope with pollution and congestion. The public security ministry said separately this week that it is looking at making it easier to get a license by removing the need for mandatory driver's education classes.
"Congestion is already pretty bad, especially in tier-one cities," said Lin Huaibin, a Shanghai-based analyst at IHS Automotive, referring to the biggest metropolitan areas. "The government is already trying to tackle pollution issues."
Automakers are expected to sell about 23 million new vehicles this year, according to a forecast by the state-backed China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. Cities including Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou have implemented caps on the number of new autos as part of measures to control tailpipe emissions.
Even as the number of drivers has risen, cases of major traffic accidents have fallen, the ministry said. Deaths caused by speeding accidents dropped 36 percent in the past two years, while those due to drunk driving decreased 39 percent, it said.
