BEIJING, June 24 -- Drivers of overloaded school buses may face criminal detention, according to a draft amendment to China's Criminal Law which was deliberated by Chinese legislators Wednesday.

The draft amendment was submitted to the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, for a second reading during the legislature's bi-monthly session, which runs from Wednesday to July 1.

Those driving school buses at a speed that exceeds the designated limit, as well as the owners and managers who are in charge of the services, may also face the same punishment, according to the draft.

The legislators proposed this conduct should be defined as crime because overloading and excessively fast driving of school buses due to slack management poses a threat to students' safety and has a negative effect on society.