In Yunnan's provincial capital of Kunming, six cases of drunk driving have been investigated by police since May 1. Four of the cases have resulted in dangerous driving charges, while the other two are still under investigation, according to Kunming municipal police.

A man surnamed Lai was recently caught drunk driving at an expressway toll gate in Jianli County in central China's Hubei Province. Lai said he drove to Jianli to attend a wedding, where he had a few drinks before getting back on the road, according to expressway police.

Lai's test showed that his alcohol level was 78 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood. Although this means that he was not technically drunk according to Chinese law, he was still punished for driving after drinking, according to police.

Lai was fined 2,000 yuan (308 U.S. dollars) and his license was suspended for six months.

In recent years, fatal car accidents in Chinese cities such as Chengdu, Nanjing and Hangzhou have triggered a public outcry, calling for stricter penalties for drunk driving.

The crackdown has already had an effect on the three-day Labor Day holiday, a time reserved for family reunions and weddings. These gatherings often involve heavy consumption of alcohol.

According to a Tuesday statement by the traffic management authority of the Ministry of Public Security, the number of alcohol-related road accidents that occurred during this year's Labor Day holiday dropped 27.6 percent year-on-year, with a total of 1,458 accidents reported between 12 a.m. Saturday morning and 3 p.m. Monday afternoon.