A senior Chinese official says frequent traffic accidents have forced the central government to tighten its inspection of passenger vehicles with more than nine seats.

Vice-director of the State Administration for Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, Han Yi says the nationwide quality overhaul will target larger vehicles because of the number of road accidents related to passenger transportation.

In 2004, hundreds of people were killed in nearly 60 severe road accidents across China.

Of the number, thirty-two accidents or 60 percent were related to larger passenger vehicles.

To remedy the situation, the administration has decided to inspect all vehicles with more than nine seats by 2006 and will recall any found with faults. Enditem

Source: CRIENGLISH.com