Mr. Thuan, the "traffic officer".

(Baonghean) - For nearly 10 years, Mr. Hoang Van Thuan, from Hamlet 4, Dien Loi Commune, Dien Chau District, has quietly painted traffic signs on the village roads. His meaningful work contributes to bringing peace to the village and happiness to every household…

The winding village road in Hamlet 4, Dien Loi, seems much safer thanks to the simple, rustic signs and red lettering painted on the walls warning about traffic safety by Mr. Hoang Van Thuan. We arrived at his house while he was meticulously painting the words: "Horn out, dangerous intersection!", and then adding an arrow to mark the intersection. It turned out that this was an old traffic sign with faded lettering that the students had reported to him, so he brought it home to repaint it clearly.

He confided: "Every now and then, I have to go check to see which sections of the road have signs obscured by trees so I can clear them; which signs are crooked so I can straighten them; and which signs are faded so I can repaint them clearly… That's how I ensure traffic safety for the villagers." The village roads are winding and interwoven, and the smooth concrete surface makes it easy for people to speed and drive recklessly, causing heartbreaking accidents. Therefore, in 2004, Mr. Thuan harbored the idea of ​​making traffic signs to warn of accidents on the village roads. He studied traffic laws day and night, and as the village head, he discussed this issue with the Party branch. Once agreed, he personally sourced materials and bought paint to paint the signs. He also went to each family to persuade them to allow him to paint directly on the walls. He carefully renovated the walls, then whitewashed them and painted red so the letters would stand out, making them easy for people to see and understand, hoping that everyone would participate in traffic safely, even on the village roads and alleys.

Mr. Thuan drew warning signs about traffic safety.

To ensure the traffic signs are effective, every Saturday and Sunday he gathers the villagers together to explain each sign in detail. He explains what a curve requires slowing down, why you should ring your bell or honk your horn at intersections, etc. Hoang Thi Nhi, a 9th-grade student at Dien Loi Secondary School, shared: “Thanks to Mr. Thuan’s traffic signs, we are more aware of the need to follow the Road Traffic Law. Since the signs were put up, our commute has been much more convenient.”

Following Mr. Thuan as he puts up traffic signs, the work is far from simple for someone nearly 60 years old. At some points, he drives stakes to hang the signs; at others, he hangs them on tree trunks and secures them with steel wire, then clears the surrounding branches to avoid obstructing the view. After hanging the signs, with a can of red paint in hand, he goes to intersections to repaint the instructions for clarity. The red arrows and warning signs at intersections and road junctions reassure road users. When approaching roads with these signs, villagers are more conscious of driving slowly and strictly obeying the signs and slogans that Mr. Thuan has painted. Villagers say that since Mr. Thuan put up these dozens of rudimentary signs on the village roads, traffic accidents have decreased significantly. Ms. Hoang Thi Xuan, a local resident, said: "Mr. Thuan came up with this idea, and the villagers support it a lot."

As a habit, when people first approach the entrance to Hamlet 4, they look up and read Mr. Thuan's signs: As they prepare to enter a narrow road, they immediately see signs that read "Very dangerous, do not overtake recklessly," and "Wear a helmet before getting on the motorbike." Near the busy intersection at the village gate, they see signs that read "Caution: Dangerous intersection, do not speed," and "Your safety is our priority," reminding them to slow down.

Mr. Ta Thanh Binh, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dien Loi commune, said: "Currently, the traffic accident situation on rural roads is very alarming. Mr. Thuan's actions are a good initiative for rural traffic safety because currently, the authorities at all levels lack attention to the system of road signs in rural areas. A person who always thinks about the safety of his fellow villagers like Mr. Thuan is truly worthy of respect."

Mai Giang