China Overhauls Road Traffic Safety Law for First Time

China has submitted the first systematic revision of its Road Traffic Safety Law for legislative review, a landmark update that introduces dedicated provisions for autonomous vehicles, raises speed limits for electric bicycles, and imposes stricter penalties for distracted driving and other emerging road safety risks.

The draft revision was presented for its first reading on August 25 at the 24th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People’s Congress, according to Xinhua. The 170-article, nine-chapter document represents the most comprehensive update to the law since it took effect in 2004, following only piecemeal amendments in 2007, 2011, and 2021.

A Law Out of Step with Modern Transportation

The revision comes as China’s transportation landscape has transformed dramatically. As of June 2026, the country had 476 million registered motor vehicles and 567 million licensed drivers. Electric bicycles, meanwhile, reached approximately 380 million units in social ownership by September 2025. The existing law, Minister of Justice He Rong told lawmakers, can no longer fully meet practical needs given rapid socioeconomic development and changes in transport technologies.

Autonomous Driving Enters the Legal Framework

Perhaps the most significant innovation is a new dedicated chapter on autonomous vehicles, marking the first time the technology receives formal legal recognition in China’s foundational traffic safety legislation. The draft defines an autonomous vehicle as one capable of continuously performing all dynamic driving tasks under specified operating conditions, distinguishing it from driver-assistance functions that only help drivers perform some tasks.

Under the draft, when a traffic violation occurs while autonomous driving is activated, the vehicle manufacturer or importer is responsible for handling the violation. If manufacturers argue the violation is unrelated to autonomous driving, they bear the burden of proof. Vehicles with autonomous driving functions not activated, as well as those with only driver-assistance features, remain subject to conventional vehicle rules.

“The first legal admission of autonomous driving in the Road Traffic Safety Law revision is expected to solve the problem of autonomous vehicles legally operating on roads, responding to the needs of the times and technology,” Wang Ying, a professor at Renmin University Law School, told China Daily. Wang noted that the draft adopts a framework-based legislative approach, leaving room for rapid technological iteration while establishing clear responsibility boundaries.

Cui Dongshu, secretary-general of the China Automobile Dealers Association’s passenger car market information council, said the revision marks a shift from piecemeal amendments toward a more systematic legal framework for autonomous driving. “Mandatory standards are not meant to restrict innovation, but to set a safe track for the autonomous driving industry,” Cui said, as reported by China Daily.

The autonomous driving provisions complement a mandatory national safety standard for L3/L4 systems announced by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology on August 4, which takes effect July 1, 2027. China granted its first L3 market-access approvals for conventional passenger vehicles in December 2025, and L2-level driver-assistance penetration has reached 70.5 percent of new passenger vehicles this year, according to CnEVPost.

Electric Bicycles: Balancing Speed and Safety

The draft also addresses the safety challenges posed by China’s massive electric bicycle fleet. It raises the maximum speed for e-bikes in non-motorized vehicle lanes from 15 km/h to 20 km/h, while introducing a “negative behavior list” that prohibits riding against traffic, speeding, violating traffic signals, and using handheld phones or watching videos while riding. Both riders and passengers would be required to wear safety helmets.

The revision also imposes obligations on internet platform companies, requiring them to consider speed limits, road conditions, and weather when establishing order allocation, time estimation, and route planning algorithms. Platforms are prohibited from using algorithms or rules that force, condone, or tacitly permit employees to violate traffic laws—a provision aimed at protecting delivery riders.

“The speed limit adjustment considers both the actual usage needs and expectations of electric bicycle riders while keeping it within a certain range, seeking a balance between travel efficiency and safety,” Hu Yuqing, a teacher at Tianjin University Law School, told Caixin.

Cracking Down on Dangerous Driving

The draft introduces or strengthens penalties for several dangerous behaviors. Drivers who use handheld phones, watch videos, or engage in other activities that interfere with safe driving and cause traffic accidents or serious consequences face fines of 200 to 500 yuan ($30 to $74) and possible three-month license suspension.

New penalties target street racing, with six-month license suspension and fines of 1,000 to 2,000 yuan, escalating to criminal liability and a five-year license reapplication ban for offenses constituting crimes. Drug driving carries 10 to 15 days of administrative detention, fines of 2,000 to 5,000 yuan, license revocation, and a five-year ban on re-applying.

The draft also addresses everyday traffic nuisances: drivers and passengers must observe when opening doors to prevent “dooring” accidents; abandoned vehicles parked on roads for over 120 days are prohibited; and unauthorized road-occupying activities by recreational groups are barred.

“Elevating measures to address traffic chaos like ‘dooring,’ ‘abandoned vehicles,’ and ‘walking groups’ into legal provisions helps promote a shift in traffic governance from post-incident handling to pre-incident prevention,” Feng Weiran, a teacher at People’s Public Security University’s Traffic Management College, told Guangming Daily.

What’s Next

The draft revision is undergoing its initial review and will proceed through further readings and public consultation before final passage. The State Council approved the draft at an executive meeting chaired by Premier Li Qiang on June 11. As the legislative process unfolds, key questions remain about how autonomous driving activation will be verified in enforcement, what evidentiary standards will apply in disputes, and how provincial regulations will be harmonized with the revised national law.

For China’s 567 million drivers and the millions more who rely on electric bicycles and emerging autonomous vehicles, the outcome of this legislative process will shape the country’s road safety landscape for decades to come.