A Shanghai woman accused of crashing her car into a cyclist and then fleeing the scene faces a lifetime driving ban under new rules enacted nationwide to clamp down on hit-and-run accidents.

The woman, who police will only identify by her surname Sheng, is the first city resident to face such a ban under rules that went into effect on May 1, according to local police.

The new law states that any driver who causes a major accident - one involving serious injuries, death or large economic losses - and then flees the scene will be banned from driving for life. They will also face normal court punishment, such as fines or a prison term.

Police allege Sheng was talking on her cell phone when she crashed her Santana sedan on May 2 in Pudong. They say she was distracted by the call when she ran into a cyclist heading in the opposite direction at 7:40pm.

Instead of calling for the ambulance to help the injured female cyclist, Sheng allegedly hit the accelerator and fled the scene.

The injured woman, surnamed Wang, was rushed to a nearby hospital but died of brain injuries at 9:10 that night.

Police posted flyers near the site of the accident calling on witnesses to come forward and help with the investigation. Their efforts paid off, with two middle school students who had seen the collision providing police with the car's license plate number last Wednesday.

Police finally tracked down Sheng on Saturday. The woman told the police she was so stunned by the sight of the injured cyclist that she hurried away from the scene.

She later proved far clearer headed in covering her tracks, according to investigators. They allege she had the car repaired at a downtown autobody shop to hide damage caused during the collision.

Sheng is now in police custody and faces charges of fleeing the scene of an accident. She will likely have to pay compensation to the victim's family and faces a jail term.

(Shanghai Daily May 10, 2004)