Turning the road into a rice drying area: A risk to traffic safety.
Van Truong•September 5, 2024 18:44
Currently, people in Nghe An province are harvesting their summer-autumn rice crop. However, to take advantage of the sunny weather, many households are drying their rice directly on traffic routes, posing a potential traffic accident risk.
Along National Highway 7, in the section passing through Dang Son commune, Do Luong district, people are drying rice right on the road, even placing obstacles, posing a very high risk to traffic safety. Photo: Van TruongMs. Nguyen Thi Tinh, a farmer in Trung Son commune, Do Luong district, shared: "Because our yards are small and have corrugated iron roofs that only provide shade, we have to bring the rice out to dry on the road. We know it causes traffic safety hazards, but we have no other choice; if we don't dry it on the road, the rice will spoil." (Photo: Van Truong)Expressing frustration at the situation of people drying rice on the road and lanes, causing traffic safety hazards, Mr. Le Van Nam, a driver in Thai Son commune, Do Luong district, said: "When encountering roads where people are drying rice, if drivers are not focused, the wheels can easily slip, causing accidents." (In the photo: On National Highway 7, section passing through Hoa Son commune, Do Luong district, people are freely drying rice. Photo: Van Truong)Mr. Hoang Nhu Tinh, Chairman of the Hoa Son Commune People's Committee, added: "From the beginning of the harvest season, the commune has regularly propagated and encouraged people not to encroach on the road to dry rice, but in reality, there is still a situation where people dry rice on the road, causing traffic safety hazards. In the long term, the commune will continue to coordinate with relevant departments to remind and take measures to handle violations in order to ensure traffic safety." In the photo: Locals occupy the roadside along National Highway 7 in Do Luong district to dry their rice. Photo: Van TruongSome households spread tarpaulins to dry rice on the N5 road section passing through Yen Thanh district. Vehicles traveling on these sections of road have to slow down or even swerve into the opposite lane, posing a danger to other vehicles. Photo: Van TruongWhile the need to dry rice during the harvest season is important, to ensure traffic safety for people and vehicles on the roads, each citizen needs to raise awareness of maintaining traffic safety to avoid unfortunate accidents. Local authorities in the communes should promote and encourage people to bring their rice to stadiums or the yards of village cultural centers for drying to ensure traffic safety. In the photo: On some roads in Thanh Chuong district, summer-autumn rice is being dried by people right in the middle of the road, obstructing traffic. Photo: Van Truong
According to Clause 1, Article 12 of Government Decree 46/2014 dated May 26, 2016, on administrative penalties in the field of road and rail transport, individuals and organizations who dry rice, straw, agricultural, forestry, and aquatic products on roads may be fined from 100,000 to 400,000 VND.
In cases of violations that cause loss of life or serious damage to the health or property of others, the offender may be prosecuted for the crime of obstructing road traffic as stipulated in Clauses 1, 2, and 3, Article 261 of the 2015 Penal Code, with a penalty ranging from a fine of 30 to 100 million VND, non-custodial rehabilitation for up to 3 years, or imprisonment from 3 to 7 years; in cases causing very serious or exceptionally serious consequences, the maximum penalty is up to 10 years of imprisonment.
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