When the addict takes the wheel

(Baonghean.vn)-There are many reasons for the increase in traffic accidents, among which the alarming ones are cases where drivers use stimulants such as beer, alcohol, and especially drugs.

In fact, in recent years, the traffic police have paid attention to and invested in supporting many professional equipment and tools to carry out patrolling and handling traffic safety violations such as speed cameras and alcohol testing machines, but in the case of drug-using drivers, they are almost helpless. This is a loophole for drug addicts to take advantage of the situation by taking the wheel to use drugs.

Most recently, on March 29, 2016, the Interdisciplinary Inspection Team of a Southern province tested urine samples from 20 drivers of passenger cars, trucks and taxis and discovered that driver LT D. tested positive for crystal meth (MET) and Amphetamine.

Driver D was found positive for drugs, Internet photo

In Nghe An, every year the transport sector coordinates with passenger transport companies and taxi companies to conduct health checks on drivers using urine tests to detect, prevent and handle cases that test positive for drugs.

However, this number does not accurately reflect the situation because in many cases, when checking the driver, they were absent because they were driving on the road and had not returned yet. Some used the excuse of being "sick", and there were even cases where they asked for urine from others to deal with the authorities...

There are tragic traffic accidents caused by drug-using drivers (illustrative photo)

The main responsibility in the field of checking whether drivers are positive for drugs or not is still mainly the transport companies. Because it is not only related to human life when participating in traffic, but also related to billions of dong in assets.

Mr. Nam also said that only a few units regularly coordinate with the Nghe An Department of Transport to organize health checks for drivers once a year, such as Van Minh Passenger Transport Company, Nghe An Passenger Transport Company and Mai Linh Taxi Company...

Nghe An Department of Transport checks driver's health

Most of the transportation companies and businesses as well as some other taxi companies in Nghe An have not really paid attention to this field, even letting drivers do it freely. This is a loophole for some drivers who are addicted to drugs and inject drugs but still take the wheel to participate in traffic.

Typically, at 11:00 a.m. on April 1, 2016, Le Loi Ward Police, Vinh City caught Ng. N. T (born in 1978), residing in Vinh City, holding a piece of heroin in his mouth to sell to drug addicts. T. said that his job as a car driver was due to his drug addiction, which led to him having to buy heroin for his own use and sell to others. T. bought the above amount of heroin for 800,000 VND. A small amount was for T. to use, the rest was hidden in the house. At around 11:00 a.m. the same day, a drug addict claiming to be a driver (name and address unknown) asked T. to buy 500,000 VND worth of heroin for his own use. T. agreed to sell and arranged to deliver the "goods" at Cau Duoc, Hamlet 3, Hung Chinh Commune, Vinh City. While T. was waiting for a customer to come buy, he was arrested by the police.

Phan Quoc Manh, drug-addicted taxi driver

Recently, Vinh City Police arrested Phan Quoc Manh, residing in Hung Loc Commune, Vinh City, for robbery. Manh was a taxi driver for a reputable company in Vinh City. Because of his involvement in social evils, such as gambling and drug addiction, he robbed students to cover up a debt of nearly 100 million VND.

Provincial Traffic Safety Committee visits family of traffic accident victim

The use of stimulants such as alcohol and drugs while driving will cause unpredictable consequences. Meanwhile, detecting addicts cannot be done by senses but requires equipment such as blood and urine testing machines...

Many of these parameters must be known by medical professionals. Therefore, to prevent drug-addicted drivers, it is necessary to calculate treatment measures from the root, especially in the labor recruitment stage of businesses.

In particular, specific sanctions must be applied to transport companies and enterprises that do not organize or cooperate with authorities in annual health checks for drivers; and the driving licenses of drivers who test positive for drugs must be revoked.

Central Germany