China Daily reports that according to a newly-released study of the 2008 Foton Chinese Index for Mobility, one in ten car owners in the country have been categorized into a group called "owners of idle cars".

The study shows the extent of people's reliance on motor vehicles in social and economic activities. It also demonstrates how owning private cars could further influence people's lifestyles and way of thinking.

The paper says greater strides have been taken in mobility; however, related developments in the automobile industry have also had negative impacts such as serious traffic congestion and a greater strain on limited oil resources in the country.

Researchers are quoted in the newspaper as saying that these factors have prompted more motorists to abandon the usage of their cars on weekdays.

Some people say driving has become a burden as they have to pay additional money each month since the fuel prices continually increase.

The study also reveals another reason aside from high costs ? the traffic congestion.

According to the paper, the economic loss caused by traffic jams in Beijing was the highest among any city in the country.

Researchers say that convenient public transport networks should be developed to help effectively solve the problem. Some believe that special lanes should be arranged for buses, while the rest consider improving road conditions and limiting private car usage.