Businesses with drug-using drivers should be severely punished.

Initial results

Following the working group of the Road and Railway Traffic Police Department - the Provincial Police deployed a plan to conduct a general inspection of trucks and passenger cars on National Highway 1A right in front of the Dien Chau Traffic Police Station. In order for the inspection to achieve good results, more than 10 officers and soldiers including Traffic Police, Mobile Police, doctors from the Provincial Police Hospital quickly carried out preparations with full desks and chairs, lights, signs, etc. Captain Pham Tien Luc, deputy head of the working group, said that setting up a checkpoint here has a large enough yard to not cause congestion. Moreover, this is also the time when trucks and passenger cars circulate a lot.

Professional officers and traffic police test urine for drugs at the scene. Photo: Xuan Bay

After more than 3 hours, the working group checked nearly 20 vehicles including passenger cars, trucks, and containers and discovered that driver Nguyen Huu Quynh (born in 1989, in Anh Son, Nghe An) driving passenger car with license plate 37B 017.58 and driver Nguyen Van Nghia (born in 1985, in Thanh Chuong, Nghe An) driving passenger car with license plate 37B 013.61 tested positive for drugs. The working group drew up a record to temporarily detain the vehicles, sealed the drug test results for both drivers, and continued to take them to Dien Chau District General Hospital for analysis to get accurate results on the type of drugs.

“The rapid test samples using urine test strips give relatively accurate results. However, to be more careful and objective, the driver’s urine sample is sealed, signed by the driver and the participants, so that when the driver complains, the sample will continue to be analyzed. In the next 20 days, if the driver does not complain, the authorities will destroy the sample,” said Captain Pham Tien Luc.

Phan Van Thuong - driver of pickup truck 37C12231 was found positive for drugs by traffic police on the afternoon of January 26. Photo: Xuan Bay

Many drivers also expressed their agreement with the traffic police's approach. Mr. Tran Tuan Anh, a truck driver, said, "The authorities need to conduct regular and continuous checks, avoid doing it only in batches, and need to handle it strictly to eliminate addicts, not to let public opinion discriminate and accuse all drivers of using drugs."

Drivers can see the test results live. Photo: Xuan Bay

Talking to us, Lieutenant Colonel Tran Dinh Khuong - Deputy Head of the Road and Railway Traffic Police Department - Provincial Police added: During this peak period, the Traffic Police Department has planned to conduct a general inspection of passenger vehicles with 8 seats or more and trucks over 5 tons. In the first phase, from January 21, the Traffic Police Department of the Provincial Police mobilized maximum forces, vehicles, technical equipment and professional measures to strictly handle violations. In particular, routes with many passenger vehicles, trucks, and containers passing through, such as bypass roads, National Highway 1A... were all patrolled and controlled by the force. On average, the unit discovered 1 case of drug violation every day.

According to statistics of the Traffic Police Department (Nghe An Provincial Police): In the first phase (from January 21 to February 1, 2019) implementing Plan 36 of the Provincial Police on Strengthening propaganda, inspection and handling of drivers of road motor vehicles using drugs and violating alcohol concentration. Through organizing 14 shifts with 96 officers and soldiers, 295 cases were checked, 15 cases were recorded, of which 12 cases of drug use and 3 cases of alcohol concentration violations while driving were detected.

Need a synchronous solution

According to Lieutenant Colonel Tran Dinh Khuong, through the process of checking and handling drivers of road motor vehicles using drugs and violating alcohol concentration, initial problems also arose.

For example, some drivers are still quite frustrated because the testing process takes time, because when drivers are asked to test for drugs, they will have to hold a rapid test stick in their mouth for 3-5 minutes. After that, the authorities will check the lines displayed on the stick to see if the driver has signs of being positive for drugs or not.

And to test the type of drug the driver used, the authorities will continue to insert the test stick that the driver has held in his mouth into the analyzer for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, many violators use resistance methods such as not secreting enough saliva to wet the stick to put in the testing machine, making the test difficult.

There are cases where when detecting a checkpoint, people try to avoid it, stop the car from a distance, change drivers...

Mr. Tran Anh Tuan - Head of Vehicle and Driver Management Department (Department of Transport) said: Since 2014, Nghe An Department of Transport has annually organized periodic health check-ups for drivers, with the goal of preventing drug use by drivers.

The working group set up a checkpoint in front of Dien Chau Traffic Police Station. Photo: Xuan Bay

In 2018, nearly 1,000 drivers of 20 transport businesses underwent health checks, and 10 cases tested positive for drugs. Previously, in 2017, after examining 1,485 drivers, 10 drivers were found to have signs of drug use. However, there are currently no regulations allowing the Department of Transport to revoke the driver's license of those who test positive for drugs, and business owners have the right to terminate the contract with the driver, but this requires the business to be proactive.

Traffic police drew up a report for drug use by a driver. Photo: Xuan Bay

From the above reality, Mr. Ly Ngoc Hung - Director of Song Bien Road Motor Vehicle Driver Training Center said: there needs to be stronger solutions in the management of transport enterprises, there must be circulars and documents requiring business owners to be responsible for major accidents. In case the driver drinks alcohol or uses drugs, the owner of the transport enterprise employing that driver must also be held criminally responsible.

A long-distance van driven by To Hoai Bac (born in 1981), residing in Anh Son district, Nghe An, was found positive for drugs by traffic police on January 23, 2019. Photo: Xuan Bay

According to Dr. Phan Kim Thin - Director of Nghe An Mental Hospital: VVerification of drug use problems should be carried out periodically or suddenly, if necessary, should be referred to a mental health specialist. During the examination, the specialist will exploit the history of mental illness, history of alcohol and drug use of all kinds and compare it with the results of paraclinical tests (psychological tests) and clinical examinations to be able to make the most accurate conclusion, ensuring whether the driver currently has enough mental health to practice or not.

The pickup truck driven by Phan Van Thuong (Do Thanh) did not have a driver's license and the driver tested positive for drugs. Photo: Xuan Bay

In addition to the above solutions, in the management of training and testing for driver's licenses, it is necessary to screen students right from the beginning. In the long term, it is necessary to use GPRS software to manage drivers who do not drive continuously for more than 4 hours and no more than 10 hours/day, add regulations on revoking vehicle badges, or severely punish businesses that are chasing profits, accepting the use of drivers who are not in good health, hiring drivers who use drugs...

According to Decree 46/ND-CP on administrative sanctions in the field of road and railway traffic, with a positive result for drugs, the driver will not be allowed to continue the journey, have his/her driving license revoked for 22-24 months (in case of having a driving license) or be fined from 16-18 million VND (in case of not having a driving license or having a driving license but having the right to use it revoked). Within 7 days, if there is no complaint, the unit will issue a decision on administrative sanctions.