Law

Final article: Thoroughly address and resolutely eliminate the forbidden zone!

Legal Reporters Group • June 23, 2024 12:35

The Nghe An Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee have issued numerous documents strictly prohibiting officials, Party members, and civil servants within the political system from interfering with or influencing the process of inspecting and handling violations related to alcohol levels. They also require functional forces to resolutely and strictly handle violations with the principle of "no forbidden zones, no exceptions."

In order to create positive changes and establish a habit and culture of "don't drive after drinking alcohol," first and foremost among cadres, civil servants, and members of the armed forces; and to gradually "restore order and discipline in the observance of traffic laws by both traffic participants and traffic law enforcement officers," the Standing Committee of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee issued Document No. 1763-CV/TU on "strengthening leadership and guidance on the observance of legal regulations on traffic safety and order in Nghe An province."

Specifically, it requires Party committees, Party groups, the Fatherland Front, and political and social organizations, as well as heads of provincial, district, city, and town-level departments, agencies, and Party committees under their direct supervision, to thoroughly understand, disseminate, and remind cadres, civil servants, public employees, Party members, armed forces personnel, and workers under their units and localities to voluntarily and strictly comply with the legal regulations on preventing and combating the harmful effects of alcohol. They are also required to review and supplement the content of "not driving vehicles while under the influence of alcohol, alcoholic beverages, or stimulants" into the working regulations and internal rules of agencies and units; to impose strict penalties on individuals who violate the regulations and to hold the heads of relevant organizations and collectives accountable; and to require Party members, cadres, soldiers, civil servants, and public employees to sign a commitment not to violate the above-mentioned content.

At the same time, the directive instructs officials, civil servants, public employees, Party members, armed forces personnel, and workers in units and localities to coordinate and support the police force in general, and traffic police in particular, in inspecting and handling violations related to alcohol levels while driving. Any act of resistance or interference in any form with the handling of violations by functional forces is strictly prohibited. "Each official, civil servant, public employee, Party member, and armed forces member must be exemplary and take the lead in complying with the law on traffic safety. In particular, they must not drive vehicles after consuming alcohol or beer, and must not ride in vehicles driven by drivers who have consumed alcohol or beer," - Document No. 1763 of the Standing Committee of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee emphasizes the exemplary role of officials and civil servants in complying with traffic safety laws.

The Standing Committee of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee also requested the Provincial Police Party Committee to instruct officers and soldiers to absolutely adhere to the following principles when handling traffic law violations:There are no forbidden zones, no exceptions."No interference will be addressed; please overlook any violations. Strict action will be taken in accordance with regulations against individuals who exploit or impersonate state agencies or the press, or who misuse social media to influence the work of the police force..."

Any act of concealing, altering, or overlooking violations related to drunk driving is strictly prohibited. For violators who are officials, civil servants, public employees, Party members, or members of the armed forces, in addition to legal penalties, a notification of the violation must be sent to the head of the agency or unit for review and disciplinary action; simultaneously, the relevant inspection committee and internal affairs agency must be notified to monitor the handling of violations by officials, public employees, members of the armed forces, and Party members.

"

Any act of concealing, altering, or overlooking violations related to driving under the influence of alcohol is strictly prohibited.

In fact, there have been several cases of civil servants, officials, and members of the armed forces violating regulations and being punished, such as the case of a driver of a government vehicle from Tuong Duong district who violated the alcohol limit with a breath alcohol concentration of 0.173 mg/liter on the evening of September 22, 2023. Another case involved an officer of the armed forces who refused to comply with an alcohol test order, resisted, and attempted to flee on January 21, 2024, on Tran Phu Street, Vinh City. When the car reached Chu Van An Street, it was intercepted and apprehended by traffic police of Vinh City Police. The driver was then taken to the Vinh City Police headquarters for questioning and to be prosecuted for resisting a public officer, in accordance with the law. The driver was identified as Phan Cong Doan, with a breath alcohol concentration of 0.399 mg/liter.

Besides the exemplary role of officials and public employees, the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee particularly emphasize the responsibility of leaders in forming a "traffic culture" in agencies and units. Document No. 1763-CV/TU from the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee on "strengthening leadership and guidance in complying with legal regulations on traffic safety in Nghe An province" clearly states: "Heads of agencies, units, and localities are responsible to the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee if they allow officials, public employees, or Party members under their management to violate or fail to strictly and correctly handle violations related to driving under the influence of alcohol or stimulants."

Document No. 7995/UBND-NC dated September 21, 2023, on strengthening the enforcement of traffic safety laws for officials, Party members, civil servants, and public employees, issued by the People's Committee of Nghe An province, also emphasizes that the provincial People's Committee leadership will consider and strictly handle the joint responsibility of the head of the agency, unit, or locality if any official, Party member, civil servant, or public employee: violates traffic safety laws causing traffic accidents, especially violations related to alcohol levels; is detected by the Task Force of the Ministry of Public Security and a notification is sent to the managing unit or locality; or, upon receiving a notification, the official, Party member, civil servant, or public employee under their management violates traffic safety laws but fails to direct or handle the matter seriously.

Previously, in Plan 328/KH-UBND dated May 16, 2023, on the implementation of Directive No. 10/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister on strengthening the work of ensuring road traffic order and safety in the new situation, the People's Committee of Nghe An province also clearly stated that it would consider and handle the responsibility of the heads of local Party committees and authorities if the traffic order and safety situation becomes complicated in their area due to a lack of leadership, direction, inspection, supervision, or incomplete performance of responsibilities within their management scope.

Based on the "no forbidden zones, no exceptions" approach to handling drunk driving violations adopted by the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee, functional forces in Nghe An province have been implementing many comprehensive solutions, combining propaganda with strict handling of violations.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Nam Hong - Deputy Head of the Traffic Police Department of the Provincial Police, said: "In reality, the effectiveness of strictly enforcing regulations on drunk driving in recent times has not only contributed to ensuring traffic safety, reducing accidents, and helping people stay safe and less worried when going out on the road; but also prevented impulsive criminal acts due to alcohol consumption such as murder, intentional injury, and disturbing public order..."

Furthermore, it contributes to building a cultural life within each family and community; forming the habit of "if you drink alcohol, don't drive" among people participating in traffic. Therefore, in the coming time, the provincial traffic police force will continue to mobilize and deploy forces, making full use of professional technical equipment and vehicles to organize patrols, inspections, and strictly handle violations that directly lead to traffic accidents; especially violations of alcohol concentration while driving on roads. Teams and stations will coordinate with local police to check and handle violations of alcohol concentration on national highways, provincial roads and on all roads managed by the locality, especially during lunchtime and evening hours, holidays, and weekends... ensuring compliance with the directive "no forbidden areas, no exceptions".

In addition, traffic police organized awareness campaigns at food and beverage establishments that serve alcohol (restaurants, karaoke bars, eateries, etc.), reminding customers to strictly comply with the law on preventing and combating the harmful effects of alcohol. At the same time, they encouraged restaurant and eatery owners to sign commitments to comply with the law on preventing and combating the harmful effects of alcohol, and assisted customers who had consumed alcohol in using ride-hailing services, taxis, or chauffeur services to get home safely.

Along with the involvement of traffic police, various departments and organizations within the political system at all levels are also actively coordinating with functional forces to promote campaigns to raise public awareness about traffic safety, aiming to minimize accidents related to drivers violating alcohol limits.

In particular, the Nghe An Provincial Traffic Safety Committee has implemented numerous awareness campaigns using various methods and digital technologies to expand reach to a wider audience. Simultaneously, they have collaborated in developing awareness programs tailored to different target groups, such as "workers building a traffic culture," "farmers and traffic safety," and "students participating in building a traffic culture."

At the 7th session of the 15th National Assembly, the regulation completely prohibiting drinking alcohol while driving received attention and support from elected representatives. After reviewing and gathering opinions from representatives, the Standing Committee of the National Assembly decided to choose the option of absolutely prohibiting alcohol concentration while driving to submit to the National Assembly for approval. This demonstrates the determination of the entire political system to build a traffic culture of "if you drink alcohol, don't drive."

Therefore, according to Mr. Phan Huy Chuong - Deputy Head of the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee: In the coming time, the committee will continue to coordinate with relevant departments and levels to build, expand, and maintain effective models and good practices in ensuring traffic order and safety in general, and the Law on Prevention and Control of the Harmful Effects of Alcohol in particular. It will actively innovate and apply modern science and technology to implement tasks and solutions in the dissemination and education of traffic safety laws in a way that is easy to understand, easy to absorb, and suitable for each region, area, and locality, especially remote, mountainous areas; with a focus on young people, students, etc., contributing to changing behavior and forming a culture of "if you drink alcohol, don't drive" among traffic participants, with the goal of further reducing traffic accidents across all three criteria.