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 prepared with full desks, 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 avoid congestion. Moreover, this is also the time when trucks and passenger cars are in high traffic.

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

After more than 3 hours, the working group inspected 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 determine the exact type of drug.

“The rapid urine test results are relatively accurate. However, to be more careful and objective, the driver’s urine sample is sealed and signed by the driver and other 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 strictly handle the cases to eliminate drug addicts, and not let public opinion stigmatize and label all drivers as drug users."

Drivers can see the results directly during the test. 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... are all patrolled and controlled by the force. On average, the unit detects 1 case of drug violation each day.

According to statistics from 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 synchronized 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, initially there were also some shortcomings.

For example, some drivers are still quite frustrated because the testing process takes time, because when drivers are asked to take a drug test, they 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 determine whether the driver has signs of being positive for drugs or not.

And to test the type of drugs the driver used, the authorities will continue to insert the test stick that the driver has been holding 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 into 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 make a record of drug-using 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 a stronger solution 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 driver 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:Verification of drug use should be carried out periodically or suddenly, if necessary, referral to a mental health specialist should be made. During the examination, the specialist will take into account the history of mental illness, history of alcohol and drug use, and compare it with the results of paraclinical tests (psychological tests) and clinical examinations to be able to make the most accurate conclusion, ensuring that the driver is currently mentally fit enough to practice.

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 start. 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 pursue profits, accept drivers who do not ensure health, hire 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.