Surveillance cameras should be used at complex intersections on National Highway 1A.

(Baonghean.vn) - Voters have reported that road users are not staying in their lanes on the Dien Chau - Nghi Loc route, posing a potential risk of traffic accidents. They request that relevant authorities take timely corrective measures.

The relevant authorities have responded to this issue as follows:

National Highway 1A, passing through Nghe An province, has a length of 108 km (including the Vinh City bypass), of which 43.9 km runs through Dien Chau and Nghi Loc districts. This is a vital national transportation artery connecting the North and South, designed for two-way traffic with a fixed median strip. Each direction has one lane for bicycles and pedestrians, and two lanes for motorized vehicles.

Since being upgraded and put into operation in 2015, it has significantly contributed to reducing traffic accidents, especially serious ones.

National Highway 1A, the section passing through Nghi Loc district. (Photo: Archival image)

However, monitoring has shown that violations of traffic laws on the Dien Chau - Nghi Loc route, especially driving in the wrong lane or section of the road, still occur frequently, posing a potential risk of traffic accidents. This situation is mainly due to the following reasons:

- As a vital transportation artery, the route experiences a large volume of traffic, encompassing various types and categories of people and vehicles, especially long-distance vehicles traveling at high speeds and carrying heavy loads. The route intersects with National Highways 48, 7A, and 7B, Provincial Highways 534, 536, and 537, as well as numerous inter-communal and inter-village routes. Both sides of the road are densely populated, with numerous government offices, schools, churches, and businesses. During peak hours, large numbers of students and workers gather, encroaching on the road space intended for motorized vehicles. Meanwhile, the existing transportation infrastructure does not meet the needs of traffic, with only two lanes in each direction, leading to vehicles frequently encroaching on other lanes.

In addition, many sections of the median opening are not well-designed; some places allow U-turns, but the openings are narrow, so when large vehicles make U-turns, it easily causes localized traffic congestion; some median openings are too close to intersections with non-priority roads, so vehicles and road users often travel against the flow of traffic or in the wrong lane…

- The awareness of some people regarding compliance with traffic laws is still limited.

- The traffic police force's patrol, control, traffic flow management, guidance, and handling of violations still face many difficulties and shortcomings, such as: the traffic control force is insufficient; stopping and processing vehicles with large widths on some road sections would cause traffic congestion; there is no camera surveillance system to handle violations such as driving in the wrong lane…

A traffic accident on National Highway 1A. Photo: Archival material.

In light of the above situation, the Provincial People's Committee has recently directed functional units to implement many solutions to ensure traffic safety on the Dien Chau - Nghi Loc route, achieving many important results, such as:

- Issued plans for inspecting and surveying road and railway intersections in Nghe An province; Plan for organizing surveys and proposing solutions to address traffic organization irregularities and traffic accident hotspots on national highways; Official letter proposing traffic organization on National Highway 1A and Vinh bypass (which identified 85 irregularities along the entire National Highway 1A and Vinh bypass), recommending that relevant agencies address them.

- In coordination with the Traffic Police Department - Ministry of Public Security, we organized 6 sessions to disseminate and educate on traffic laws for 6 schools along National Highway 1A in Dien Chau and Nghi Loc districts, with 10,000 participants; focusing on traffic rules and the proper use of helmets with fastened chin straps when riding motorcycles, scooters, and motorized bicycles.

- Direct the PC67 Department and the police forces of Dien Chau and Nghi Loc districts to strengthen traffic control and inspection, and handle violations, focusing on violations that are the cause of traffic accidents; regularly maintain forces to organize traffic flow management and patrol and control at locations with complex traffic safety issues, such as schools, markets, and industrial zones where there is a high volume of traffic during peak hours.

Multiple-vehicle accident on National Highway 1A in Dien Chau district. Photo: Archival material.

In the coming period, to improve the effectiveness of traffic safety and address the issue of road users not using the correct lanes on National Highway 1A section from Dien Chau to Nghi Loc, the Provincial People's Committee will request the Nghe An Provincial Police to implement the following key tasks:

- Continue to strengthen the dissemination and education of traffic safety laws among all segments of the population, including regulations on driving in the correct lane and building a culture of responsible behavior when participating in traffic.

- Regularly conduct investigations and surveys of traffic organization along the route to advise and recommend to relevant authorities solutions to address inconsistencies and minimize potential causes of traffic accidents. Simultaneously, recommend that relevant authorities invest in, build, and expand the infrastructure along National Highway 1A, especially expanding the traffic safety corridor for non-motorized vehicles and pedestrians, while effectively implementing traffic safety corridor and sidewalk clearance, particularly in towns and areas with complex traffic safety issues… creating clear roads and sidewalks to facilitate convenient travel for road users.

- Strengthen traffic control and inspection, strictly handle violations of driving in the wrong lane or section of the road; organize traffic flow management in complex areas, especially at school locations and industrial zones, to prevent traffic congestion and to prevent road users from driving in the wrong lane or section of the road.

- Invest in equipment and facilities to support the handling of traffic violations, especially restoring and putting into use the surveillance camera system at complex intersections on National Highway 1A passing through Nghe An province in general, and Dien Chau - Nghi Loc district in particular. The camera system will help authorities monitor and handle violations related to road sections and lanes most effectively; at the same time, the installation of the surveillance camera system will educate traffic participants on the importance of complying with the law.

Gia Huy

(Synthetic)