BEIJING, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- China marked its first national day for road safety on Sunday with exhibitions, lectures and online discussions exhorting pedestrians and drivers to observe traffic signals, with failure to adhere to them blamed as a major cause of deaths on the country's roads.
The day, scheduled by the State Council on Dec. 2, took traffic signals as its particular focus this year, with reports saying running red lights claimed 798 lives in the first 10 months of 2012.
Publicity and educational activities were held across Chinese cities as experts blame a lack of awareness for rampant breaches of traffic rules in the country.
In the northern province of Hebei, government workers were deployed on the streets to deliver pamphlets and persuade pedestrians to obey traffic rules.
"I didn't know until today that so many pedestrians run red lights," said Liu Zhigang, a banner-holding volunteer from Hebei's department of education.
Proposed by the Ministry of Public Security, the day aims to improve people's awareness of road safety and the related legal system, as well as road courtesy. The timing was based on the date Dec. 2 for its appearance as "122," the telephone number for reporting road accidents in China.
The day was marked in the northeastern city of Liaoyuan in Jilin Province with cash rewards issued to 400 "model drivers" selected from professional drivers and private car owners with good traffic records.
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