Suzhou Stops Delivery Timers at Red Lights in First-of-Its-Kind Safety Trial

Suzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province will pause delivery timers when food couriers wait at red lights under a first-of-its-kind traffic safety trial in China, local traffic police said.

The policy is scheduled to begin in early August in Gusu District and Suzhou Industrial Park, giving riders more time to complete orders when they obey traffic signals.

The city traffic police department said the system will rely on a standardized connected traffic-signal platform and data exchanges with delivery platforms, while maintaining data security. In practice, a rider's countdown timer will stop while the rider is waiting at a red light, and the delivery deadline will be extended automatically.

Officials said the goal is to make compliance less costly for couriers, encouraging them to stop at intersections instead of running red lights to meet tight delivery deadlines.

Suzhou traffic police also plan to use data links with delivery platforms to address fatigue and pressure from long shifts. The system will issue mandatory rest reminders after riders have worked continuously for four hours and require them to go offline after 12 consecutive hours of deliveries.

The city will also introduce monthly incentives for riders with no traffic violations, including phone-bill subsidies and charging subsidies.

Police said the measures are intended to shift traffic governance from punishment after violations to prevention before they occur, while improving safety for delivery riders and maintaining road order.