Minister Dinh La Thang: Increase fines to maximum to reduce traffic accidents

Despite the implementation of many synchronous solutions and the drastic involvement of the entire political system, traffic accidents are still a huge problem for our country. Therefore, in the coming time, the Ministry of Transport will submit to the Government an amendment to the Decree on administrative sanctions, aiming to increase the maximum fines for business owners and vehicle owners as well as enhance the responsibility of State management agencies, directly including local Departments of Transport, the Vietnam Road Administration as well as agencies of the Ministry.

This is the information given by Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang at the online program "People ask, Minister answers" on the evening of September 7.

Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang. Photo: VNA

- Recently, a series of particularly serious traffic accidents during the holidays have made people feel insecure and worried about their lives when traveling on the road. So, what measures will the Ministry of Transport take to rectify and ensure traffic safety, Minister?

Minister Dinh La Thang:In recent years, the Party and Government have directed many synchronous solutions, both short-term and long-term, to control and minimize traffic accidents, especially during holidays and Tet.

Statistics from the recent September 2nd holiday show that the number of deaths due to traffic accidents still increased by 15 people, the number of injured people increased by 14 people compared to the same period last year, although the number of cases decreased. Serious traffic accidents are a source of pain not only for the victims' relatives but also for myself, the entire transport sector and all people.

In the coming time, implementing the direction of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Transport and localities must continue to synchronously and drastically implement long-term solutions as well as immediate solutions such as continuing to promote the development of transport infrastructure; strengthening the sense of responsibility and fighting negativity among the public service force...

In addition, the Ministry of Transport will submit to the Government an amendment to the Decree on administrative sanctions, aiming to increase the maximum fine for business owners and vehicle owners as well as enhance the responsibility of State management agencies, directly the local Departments of Transport, the Vietnam Road Administration as well as the agencies of the Ministry. At the same time, it will also amend and replace Decree 91/2009/ND-CP on business and conditions for business of automobile transport, which stipulates the minimum size of transport units to ensure traffic safety conditions.

- The tragic accident in Bat Xat, Lao Cai on September 1st that killed 13 people revealed a management loophole between the two parking lots because the vehicle involved in the accident was not allowed to travel on this route but it still brazenly departed. So, according to the Minister, what will be the responsibility of the State management agency?

Minister Dinh La Thang:In fact, the legal document system has no loopholes on this issue, or in other words, these issues have been specifically regulated. The Ministry of Transport has issued regulations assigning the Departments of Transport to issue badges and manage vehicles that are used to transport passengers on fixed routes according to Circular No. 18/2013/TT-BGTVT; enterprises with vehicles used to transport passengers on holidays and Tet must comply with the Department's dispatch orders.

However, during the implementation process, some businesses, including Minh Thanh Phat Trading and Service Company Limited, did not comply with regulations, did not send additional vehicles to the bus station to pick up passengers, did not follow the correct time and route, and carried more people than the prescribed number, causing extremely serious traffic accidents.

For this accident to occur, the direct responsibility, first of all, belongs to the transport company that deliberately violated the provisions of the Road Traffic Law by not complying with the regulations, driving on the wrong lane, and speeding, leading to the accident.

As I have emphasized many times, the fact that transport business units violate legal regulations, leading to catastrophic traffic accidents, proves that the effectiveness and efficiency of State management of transport business activities and ensuring traffic order and safety have not yet met requirements.

In the above accident, the Hanoi Department of Transport, which grants business licenses, vehicle badges, and approves lanes and routes, has not been responsible for monitoring through black box devices to ensure that vehicles are on the correct lanes. The Department of Transport and the patrol force of Lao Cai province must be responsible for inspecting and supervising vehicles operating in the area, promptly detecting and handling violations.

If we do this well, surely vehicles that are only licensed to go to Lao Cai will not be able to go to Sapa. If the regulations are properly implemented, accidents will not happen.

The scene of the bus accident in Lao Cai on September 1 that killed 13 people. Photo: VNA

- Recently, there has been a lot of information in the press reflecting the situation of "royal cars". Could you please tell us what measures the Ministry will take to completely prevent this phenomenon?

Minister Dinh La Thang:The theme of Traffic Safety Year 2014 is "Tightening management of transport activities and controlling vehicle load" which has been strongly directed by the Prime Minister.

In the near future, load control will be implemented more drastically and synchronously until the overload is gone. We will also focus on fighting negativity in this work because this is an extremely fierce battle between interest groups.

To completely prevent this phenomenon, the Ministry of Transport will continue to focus on solutions to amend and perfect the system of legal documents in the direction of increasing the maximum and progressive penalties for vehicle owners who intentionally overload; handling violations of loading goods before vehicles participate in traffic; increasing patrols to handle "king" vehicles and vehicles "dodging" the load inspection station; being resolute in preventing and combating negativity of the task force and strictly handling violations...

- The Minister is researching the “golden flight route”, reducing flight time by several dozen minutes, saving nearly 300 million USD per year. Some airlines say transit costs are very high. So, what is the Minister’s official opinion on this issue?

Minister Dinh La Thang:First of all, it must be said that there is no "golden flight route" but only a direct flight route within the solutions that the Ministry is deploying, implementing according to the Prime Minister's direction on creating the most favorable conditions for people and businesses.

In fact, this route has been studied for a long time but was stopped due to lack of conditions. Currently, in the context of international integration, especially when we signed the Aviation Agreement between the four countries of Vietnam-Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar to create favorable conditions for each country's aviation, including direct flights.

We are working with airlines and relevant agencies to research direct flights, first of all the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City direct flight.

This direct flight route, the number one goal is to ensure safety, then the efficiency for businesses. When businesses operate more efficiently, costs are reduced, then people will certainly benefit from reduced ticket prices.

Of course, to do this, infrastructure conditions are needed. Currently, Tan Son Nhat airport and Noi Bai airport are fully qualified to serve these flights.

Thank you, Minister.

According to Vietnam+