Difficulties and shortcomings

(Baonghean)In a preliminary review of traffic safety work during the first four months of the year, six districts – Tuong Duong, Quy Hop, Hung Nguyen, Quy Chau, Nam Dan, and Thanh Chuong – were criticized by the Provincial People's Committee; Cua Lo Town, Thai Hoa Town, and two districts – Quynh Luu and Que Phong – received warnings due to an increase in traffic accident fatalities. Investigations revealed that the abuse of alcohol before driving was identified as one of the fundamental causes.

We visited Quy Hop district, one of the six localities criticized by the Provincial People's Committee, to investigate the reasons for the increase in traffic accidents. The Quy Hop District Police reported that the period before and after the 2013 Lunar New Year saw a surge in traffic accidents resulting in serious casualties. Between January 1st, 2013 and February 28th, 2013 alone, there were 9 accidents, causing 9 deaths and 4 injuries. Some typical cases include: On February 12, 2013, at kilometer 61 + 650 on National Highway 48 in Dong Hop commune, a traffic accident occurred between a motorcycle (license plate 37X3) driven by Quang Van Minh, born in 1994, residing in Dong Chieng hamlet, Dong Hop commune, carrying passenger Truong Van Cuong (also residing in Dong Hop commune), and a motorcycle (license plate 37L5 - 3801) driven by Vi Van Tan, born in 1994, residing in Nghia Mai commune, Nghia Dan district, carrying passenger Le Van Phuong (also residing in Nghia Mai commune). As a result, Quang Van Minh died; Cuong, Tan, and Phuong were all injured. The cause was determined to be Minh driving on the wrong side of the road.

On January 20, 2013, a traffic accident occurred on the inter-village road in Ha Son commune between a motorcycle (license plate 37H1-04940) driven by Mr. Le Van Thanh, born in 1958, residing in Ha Son commune, and a motorcycle (license plate 37C-02365) driven by Mr. Bui Van Tuan, born in 1974, also residing in Ha Son commune. Mr. Thanh died on the spot. The cause was determined to be Mr. Thanh's reckless overtaking... According to Lieutenant Dam Van Linh, the officer in charge of investigating and handling traffic accidents of the Social Order Investigation Team of Quy Hop District Police, during the investigation, based on information from relatives and witnesses, it was determined that both individuals involved had consumed alcohol before the accident.

Images of traffic safety violations on National Highway 48.

From November 16, 2012 to May 13, 2013, there were 166 road and rail traffic accidents in the province, resulting in 118 deaths and 142 injuries; compared to the same period last year, there was an increase of 7 accidents, 7 deaths, and a decrease of 9 injuries. According to Lieutenant Colonel Bach Hung Dung, Deputy Head of the Traffic Police Department, from the beginning of the year until now, the traffic police force has recorded 63,232 cases and processed 61,707 cases, including 1,662 cases of drunk driving.

However, there are virtually no specific statistics on traffic accidents related to drunk driving due to the difficulties encountered in the handling process. Therefore, from the beginning of 2013 to the present, only one traffic accident has been identified as being related to alcohol. This incident occurred at 8 PM on March 5, 2013, on the inter-village road in Hamlet 9, Thanh Thinh Commune, Thanh Chuong District, between a motorcycle with license plate 37E1-132.74 driven by Nguyen Dinh Kha, born in 1984, residing in Hamlet 7, Thanh Thinh, Thanh Chuong, and a motorcycle traveling in the opposite direction with license plate 37Z4-6832 driven by Nguyen Van Duong, born in 1970, residing in Hamlet 8, Thanh Huong Commune, Thanh Chuong. As a result, Nguyen Van Duong died and Nguyen Dinh Kha was injured.

The case was handled by the Thanh Chuong District Police Investigation Agency, and the cause was determined to be Nguyen Dinh Kha driving a motorcycle on the wrong side of the road and having a blood alcohol concentration exceeding the permissible limit (0.695 mg/l of breath). The case file was transferred to the District People's Procuracy for prosecution. The Thanh Chuong District People's Court tried the case and sentenced Nguyen Dinh Kha to 3 years in prison.

Lieutenant Colonel Bach Hung Dung pointed out the difficulties in handling alcohol-related violations, namely: the investigative and traffic accident investigation forces lack the necessary equipment for testing, thus failing to determine the alcohol concentration of drivers involved in traffic accidents; in traffic accidents, drivers often die or are injured and must be taken away from the scene for emergency treatment at medical centers, making it very complicated to verify the driver's alcohol concentration; coordination between investigative forces and medical staff at healthcare facilities is not yet tight; regulations related to guiding the testing of blood alcohol concentration in drivers of motorized road vehicles have not yet been issued...

In fact, on August 24, 2011, the Government issued Resolution 88/NQ-CP on strengthening key solutions to ensure traffic safety. Accordingly, the Government directed the Ministries of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Information and Communications; and Industry and Trade... to issue regulations on managing alcohol advertising, requiring it to include warnings about the harmful effects of alcohol abuse on health and the risk of accidents while driving; and requiring businesses, manufacturers, and importers of alcoholic beverages to include warnings on product packaging about the harmful effects of alcohol abuse. Food service establishments, bus stations, and rest stops were prohibited from selling alcohol to drivers... However, nearly two years after Resolution 88/NQ-CP was issued, these provisions have not been implemented at all.

The advertisement "Bringing Vietnamese Vodka Culture to the Global Market" by Goldstar Vodka company.

In my opinion, raising awareness among road users through public campaigns and strictly penalizing those who violate alcohol limits are necessary measures. However, alongside these, it is also crucial to strictly and comprehensively implement the government's directives on the production, advertising, and sale of alcoholic beverages. Only then can we minimize the abuse of alcohol and the use of motorized vehicles in traffic.

Text and photos: Nhat Lan