Nowadays, the awareness of "Do not drive after drinking alcohol" has become a clear habit among the people. However, there are still cases of non-compliance with regulations, non-cooperation when checking alcohol concentration, even reckless behavior such as driving cars in the opposite direction, ramming the car straight into the traffic police...
At the alcohol concentration checkpoint on National Highway 1A, at Km 418, passing through Dien Hong commune (Dien Chau) of Dien Chau Traffic Police Station at noon on May 20, 2024; The working group of the traffic police force requested the driver of the car with license plate 29A-99xxx to stop the car and comply with the alcohol concentration test according to regulations. However, this man not only did not cooperate but also loudly insulted.
When the traffic police showed a resolute attitude, the man began to lower his voice, took out his phone to call his relatives, and "forced" the officer in the working group to answer the phone. However, the officer in the working group firmly refused, did not answer the phone, and persuaded the driver to measure his alcohol concentration. At this time, the man held the device in his mouth and refused to blow. Only after the traffic police demonstrated did he blow properly so that the machine could give the result, with an alcohol concentration violation of 0.352 mg/liter of breath. It is worth mentioning that even though the force had written a record of the violation, the driver continued to linger and call for help, and only after a long time did he sign.
A case of deliberately refusing to comply with the traffic police's request to check alcohol concentration. Photo: Le Thang
Many traffic police officers and soldiers said that alcohol concentration testing is quite complicated. In fact, not only are there acts of reporting checkpoints and avoiding checkpoints publicly on social networks, but at times when the functional forces carry out inspections, some violators also have acts of resistance, insults, and non-compliance with the inspection... For example, the case of Mr. NVT (born in 1987), residing in Quynh Phuong ward, Hoang Mai town.
Accordingly, on the evening of February 8, 2024, Mr. T. drove car with license plate 37H.065.xx on Tran Thanh Tong Street, Quynh Phuong Ward. When the Hoang Mai Town Police Working Group performed the task of checking alcohol concentration and signaled to stop the car and asked Mr. T. to measure alcohol concentration, he did not comply and used insulting words to the authorities. At the time of the inspection, this driver could not present a driver's license, did not carry the vehicle registration and the certificate of technical safety and environmental protection inspection. For the act of not complying with the request to check the alcohol concentration of the person performing the official duties, driver T. was fined 35 million VND; the error of driving a car without a driver's license was fined 11 million VND; the errors of not carrying the vehicle registration and inspection certificate were fined 300,000 VND each.
A violator is calling for help from relatives. Photo: Le Thang
“
Not only are there acts of reporting checkpoints and avoiding checkpoints publicly on social networks, but at times when the authorities carry out inspections, some violators also have acts of resistance, insults, and non-compliance with the inspection...
In fact, because of driving under the influence of alcohol, often losing control of behavior and speech, many people have cursed and insulted officers and soldiers on duty. There have even been cases of threats; or claiming to be working at agency A, agency B, knowing this person or that person to create pressure... According to traffic police officers and soldiers, in any case, when alcohol concentration testing is detected, all will be handled "no forbidden areas, no exceptions". Therefore, among the cases punished, many violators are party members, working in the armed forces, drivers for leaders of sectors and localities... For example, at 20:55 on September 23, 2023, the Working Group of the Ministry of Public Security directly inspected and handled alcohol concentration violations in Vinh city and discovered a driver with a blue license plate violating. It was a blue-plate car with license plate 37A - 000.XX, driven by driver Le Xuan Hung in Tuong Duong district. At the time of inspection, driver Hung had an alcohol concentration of 0.173 mg/liter of breath.
According to the authorities, not only do they put pressure, resist, and insult, many violators also have reckless and daring behaviors such as driving their cars in the opposite direction or ramming into traffic police when asked to stop for an alcohol test.
Colonel Tran Ngoc Tuan - Deputy Director of the Provincial Police shared, encouraged and gave gifts to Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Quang Vinh; Scene of the incident that caused Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Quang Vinh to break his leg (small photo). Photo: Van Hau - CSCC
For example, at around 9:00 p.m. on May 15, 2024, the Traffic Police Team of Nghi Loc District Police was on duty on National Highway 48E, passing through Nghi Thach Commune (Nghi Loc) and discovered a young man driving a motorbike without a helmet and showing signs of alcohol consumption, so they signaled him to stop for inspection. However, the young man did not comply with the order and drove straight into the working team, causing Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Quang Vinh to break his leg.
After the incident, the working group quickly took Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Quang Vinh to the Nghe An Trauma and Orthopedics Hospital for emergency treatment; at the same time, restrained and brought the subject to the district police headquarters to assist in the investigation. Here, the subject declared his name as Le Thanh Hoang (born in 1996), residing in Nghi Thinh commune, Nghi Loc district. Before driving the car into the working group, this subject had consumed alcohol and beer. Currently, Nghi Loc district police are temporarily detaining the subject to investigate and clarify the act of resisting a person performing official duties.
Subject Le Thanh Hoang. Photo: Van Hau
Previously, at around 8:00 p.m. on January 21, 2024, a working group of the Traffic Police Team, Vinh City Police, deployed a patrol to handle alcohol concentration violations at Km464+800, National Highway 1A (Tran Phu Street, Vinh City) and discovered a red car with license plate 37K-270.92 moving on the road with signs of alcohol concentration violations. When Captain Nguyen Minh Thong signaled for the car to slow down and guided it into the alcohol concentration testing lane, the driver did not comply but reversed the car, then turned the car around and drove in the opposite direction. Notably, when the working group approached, the driver of the vehicle did not stop but drove straight into the working group members. When the car fled to Chu Van An street, it was stopped by the checkpoint force, arrested and taken to Vinh City Police headquarters to make a record and arrest the offender for resisting a person on duty. Through alcohol concentration testing, the functional force determined that the driver of the car, Phan Cong Doan, had violated the alcohol concentration level of 0.399 mg/breath.
Subject Phan Cong Doan at the police station. Photo: Minh Khoi
Through the above incidents, many people believe that the act of driving after consuming alcohol and then running away when discovered, or crashing straight into the traffic police force should be strictly handled. "These are acts that cannot be justified by any reason, but are hooligan acts that disregard the law and disregard the lives of others" - Mr. Vo Quy Hoang, a resident of Vinh city said.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Nam Hong - Deputy Head of the Traffic Police Department of the Provincial Police, said: From the beginning of 2024 until now, in Nghe An province, during the implementation of the alcohol concentration topic, there have been 5 cases of resisting law enforcement officers, of which 4 cases have been prosecuted, 8 subjects and 1 subject is currently being detained.
The reason for the acts of resisting law enforcement officers in general, and traffic police officers during alcohol testing in particular, comes from the lack of understanding and inadequate awareness of the law by a part of the population, especially young people. Those who resist consider being punished as a loss and frustration without thinking that the authorities are handling the violation to ensure the safety of themselves and those around them. Not to mention a part of the youth who are hooligans, due to previous use of alcohol and beer, so they cannot control their behavior.
Ngan Van Hung (middle), residing in Nam Giai commune, Que Phong district, did not comply and acted in defiance, driving the vehicle forward and crashing into the working group's vehicle, causing the vehicle to fall onto the road, injuring a traffic police officer, then accelerated and fled. Photo: Ngoc Anh
Accordingly, the protesters not only used insulting and abusive words, but also committed increasingly reckless acts such as driving cars in the wrong direction, ramming their cars straight into traffic police, causing psychological stress in the force, and anger and resentment in public opinion.
Regarding this issue, Mr. Phan Huy Chuong - Deputy Head of the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee, said: Regardless of the cause, the act of not complying with requests or opposing law enforcement officers is a violation of the law and must be handled seriously.
“
Such acts threaten the safety and lives of law enforcement officers on the road. If they continue to occur, they will set a bad precedent, causing road users to disregard and defy the law.
Mr. Phan Huy Chuong - Deputy Head of the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee
Traffic Police Team of Vinh City Police handles a case of alcohol concentration violation. Photo: D.C.
Dr., Lawyer Trong Hai - Director of Trong Hai & Associates Law Firm, said that driving into the police force is a dangerous act that the subject knows in advance that it can lead to death but still deliberately commits. Therefore, in addition to applying strict penalties when traffic participants do not comply with the request to check alcohol concentration as prescribed in Decree 100, it is necessary to consider criminally handling the subjects according to the regulations.
Specifically, in serious cases, if all elements of a crime are present, the violator may be prosecuted for resisting a person on official duty as prescribed in Article 330 of the Penal Code with a maximum penalty of up to 7 years in prison. These cases also need to be brought to mobile trials in residential areas for general education and propaganda purposes. In addition, the relevant authorities need to consider increasing the penalty level compared to current regulations.
The Traffic Police Team of Vinh City Police always maintains working groups to check and handle violations of alcohol concentration. Photo: D.C.
Colonel Tran Ngoc Tuan - Deputy Director of Nghe An Provincial Police said: To limit the risk of traffic accidents and gradually form and build a traffic culture of "don't drive after drinking alcohol". In the coming time, plans to patrol, control and handle violations of alcohol concentration will continue to be regularly deployed. For cases of deliberately not complying with inspection requests, resisting, affecting the health and life of law enforcement forces, the Provincial Police will request units to conduct investigations, complete full records, and strictly handle them in accordance with the provisions of law.
