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Don't touch the steering wheel after drinking, including electric bikes and "just moving the car"

  • High value
  • Evidence A
  • Keeps you free
  • Costs a little
  • Takes minutes
  • Some willpower

In plain words

Drunk driving costs you a 6-month license suspension and a fine of 1,000 to 2,000 CNY. A repeat offense brings detention (拘留) and license revocation. Drunken driving (醉驾) means immediate revocation, no retaking the test for 5 years, criminal liability for the crime of dangerous driving (危险驾驶罪) and a criminal record, which affects political background checks (政审) and some careers. Insurance will not help either: car insurance pays nothing when you drove after drinking. "Just moving the car" counts as driving.

Cost

A designated driver or a taxi costs a few dozen CNY. Before a get-together, agree on who is not drinking today. The hard part is pushing back when people pressure you to drink.

What you get

Driving after drinking brings a 6-month suspension of the driver's license and a fine of 1,000 to 2,000 CNY. For a repeat offense, detention of up to 10 days (拘留) and revocation of the license. Drunken driving (醉驾) means immediate revocation of the license, no retaking the test for 5 years, and criminal liability for the crime of dangerous driving (危险驾驶罪): criminal detention (拘役, a short-term custodial sentence) plus a fine. Drivers of commercial vehicles (营运车) are punished more heavily: for driving after drinking, 15 days of detention, a fine of 5,000 CNY and a 5-year driving ban; for drunken driving, a 10-year driving ban and never being allowed to drive a commercial vehicle again. If driving after drinking or drunken driving causes a major accident and amounts to a crime, the driving ban is for life. Commercial car insurance pays nothing for driving after drinking or taking drugs (China)

Notes

Drunken driving is a criminal offense and leaves a criminal record, which affects the person's political background check and some professional qualifications. "Drinking" and "drunk" are separated by blood alcohol content, and the exact line is set by a national standard. This section has not verified that figure, so don't judge by feel which side you are on.

Evidence grade
A : Specific numbers from meta-analyses, large cohorts or randomized trials; for law and policy, the statute or official text.
Sources
  1. 全国人大常委会 (2021). 道路交通安全法（2021 年修订，第九十一条）. https://jtgl.beijing.gov.cn/jgj/jgxx/flfg/fl/205308/index.html（北京市公安交通管理局转载）
  2. 全国人大常委会 (2015). 刑法修正案（九）（第八条，即刑法第一百三十三条之一）. https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/fl/201802/t20180205_364562.shtml
  3. 中国保险行业协会 (2020). 机动车商业保险示范条款（2020 版）（第九、二十二条）. https://www.iachina.cn/art/2020/9/4/art_24_104621.html

Translated from the Chinese original. Original book, section 8, tip 7. This section describes legal rules, mostly mainland China’s. It is general information, not legal advice; for your own case, talk to a lawyer. Content may be out of date and rules differ by place. When you actually deal with an agency, a doctor or a court, follow what local officials, doctors and lawyers tell you. Disclaimer