On the night of May 9, 2011, musician Gao Xiaosong ran his car into three other cars in Beijing. But it wasn't just a car accident--he was drunk . Now, Gao has to go to prison   for six months and pay a 4,000 yuan fine. Gao is the first star to be punished under China's new drunk driving law. From May 1 on, drunk drivers will pay a fine, and be banned from driving for five years or even forever. Drunk driving has become a serious social problem in China.According to the Ministry of Public Security  , police caught more than half a million drunk drivers last year, a 68 % increase from 2009. The new law sees drunk driving as a crime. In the West, drunk driving is also a crime. In the US, for example, if the police catch a drunk driver, the driver will pay a fine, lose his or her license   and even go to prison. If the driver wants to drive again, he or she must do public service, and take part in educational programs. You may think: drunk driving is a crime? Isn't this law too unkind? But experts say, "Not at all." "It is to protect people's rights to life and health," Li Gang, lawyer in Chengdu, told China Daily. "Drunk driving is very dangerous. No matter what the results are, it should not be allowed." When did the new law come into use?
On May 1, 2010. On May 1, 2011. On May 1, 2009 On May 9, 2011.