Drivers caught driving while drunk in South China's Guangdong province will suffer severer consequences, even losing their jobs.

The latest traffic regulation, issued by the provincial traffic administration bureau on Sept 1 and effective Oct 1, metes out a series of harsh penalties for drunken drivers.

Drunken driving, regardless of whether it causes serious traffic accidents, will be considered an intentional crime. If the driver is a civil servant, they will be expelled from the post.

The violator will also lose membership in the Chinese Communist Party.

At the same time, violators will face narrow career choices as they will be banned from becoming lawyers, policemen, judges, prosecutors, notaries and journalists. Those who already are will have their license revoked. They will not be allowed to head state-owned enterprises or people's organizations, or become directors or senior managers in commercial banks and securities companies.

Joining the army will not be an option, either, according to the regulation.

Applications for future immigration and overseas studies will also be affected, as some embassies will not approve applications from criminal offenders.

And for the first time, the regulation metes out penalties for illegal street racers. Those engaged in such street races will be fined 50,000 yuan ($7,835) and have their license revoked, and assume criminal responsibility for any serious traffic accidents. Using motor vehicles in street races will result in a 2,000 yuan fine.

The amended Road Traffic Safety Law in May stipulates that those who drive after drinking alcohol, but are not intoxicated, will face a six-month suspension of their driver's license and a fine of 1,000 yuan to 2,000 yuan. Drunk drivers will have their license revoked if caught. They cannot apply for a new one for five years. And if the drunk driving results in a serious traffic accident, the driver will be banned for life, in addition to the regular punishments.

Based on China's traffic law, drivers whose alcohol content is above 80 mg for every 100 milliliters of blood are deemed as drunk.

Deaths caused by drunken driving and driving under the influence both dropped more than 30 percent since harsher punishments on drunk drivers took effect on May 1, the Beijing Times reported on July 7.