Proposal to add new and unprecedented equipment in traffic

The Ministry of Transport is drafting a Circular promulgating National Technical Regulations on road signs.

Chapter 16 of the draft regulations on road signaling audio equipment.

According to the Ministry of Transport, this is a new regulation added to the Law on Road Traffic Safety and Order, effective from January 1, 2025.

The Ministry of Transport proposes general requirements for road signaling audio equipment as follows:

Road warning sound signals to support warning of danger to road traffic participants.

Audible signals must ensure clear communication in all weather conditions and road conditions.

Regarding bell equipment, speakers are specified as follows:

Bells and loudspeakers must operate in synchronization with other traffic control signals and turn off immediately after the traffic control signal ends.

Installation of audio equipment is carried out according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Explaining the necessity of issuing the new circular, the Ministry of Transport said that the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety and the Road Law will take effect from January 1, 2025; accordingly, the Road Law adds many types of roads according to function, management level, technical level, adds types of road signs (sound equipment), adds traffic organization on expressways with investment phases, etc.

National Technical Regulation on Road Signs QCVN41:2019/BGTVT was issued together with Circular No. 54/2019/TTBGTVT dated December 31, 2019 of the Minister of Transport for more than 4 years now. In Section 87.2.3, Article 87 (Management principles), it is stipulated that "Road signs with symbols, signs, sizes, colors, and borders that are not completely in accordance with this Regulation but do not cause misunderstanding or misinterpretation of the meaning of use compared to the provisions of this Regulation are still valid and will be gradually replaced, completed before August 20, 2025.

However, replacing all road signs with symbols, signs, sizes, colors, and borders that are not completely in accordance with the Standards on the entire road network completed before August 20, 2025 will require a large amount of investment to replace and adjust, many signs are still in good use and effective; there are many opinions suggesting to continue using and gradually replace and adjust when the signs are old or damaged (to avoid waste in investment and asset management in accordance with social resource conditions). With the above contents, the Ministry of Transport believes that it is necessary to issue a new National Technical Regulation on road signs to replace QCVN41:2019/BGTVT to comply with the 2 new Laws and overcome the shortcomings arising after more than 4 years of implementation.