Increased penalties for obstructing and not giving way to priority vehicles

Breaking the law due to poor awareness

Although the incident has been over half a month, public opinion is still indignant every time the incident of a Lexus car driving on Quang Trung Street, Vinh City, is mentioned. It was noon on October 4, when a clip was circulated on social media recording the scene of a fire truck blaring its siren and using loudspeakers to request the Lexus car in front to give way, but the driver did not cooperate.

Specifically, the clip recorded the scene of a fire truck on its way to put out a fire at a scrap yard in Nghi Kim commune (Vinh city, Nghe An). When the vehicle was traveling on Quang Trung street, Vinh city, while other vehicles were actively giving way, the Lexus car with license plate 38A - 176.36 still blatantly blocked the fire truck.

At this time, the fire police force on the car continuously announced through the loudspeaker, "Please move vehicle 38A - 176.36 to the right side of the road to let the fire truck on duty," but the Lexus driver still acted as if nothing had happened. When arriving at the intersection, another driver signaled, the Lexus driver finally turned to the right at the intersection of Quang Trung and Le Hong Phong streets to let the fire truck do its duty.

The driver's behavior has made not only the enforcement force but also the people and the online community extremely indignant. Immediately after that, Mr. Nguyen Bac Vinh (residing in Huong Son, Ha Tinh province), the driver who violated the law, was summoned by the traffic police to be handled according to the provisions of the law.

However, most people think that the fine of 2.5 million, plus a 2-month driver's license revocation, is too light for obstructing a fire truck, regardless of the reason. In fact, if the fire had not arrived in time, the fire would have spread and caused more damage.

The Lexus car did not yield to the fire truck on the afternoon of October 4. Photo cut from clip

In addition to fire trucks, traffic police cars leading the way are also often not given way by other vehicles.

Most recently, on September 11, 2019, while on duty on National Highway 1A, at km 397+600, the leading car of the Traffic Police Department, despite turning on the siren and using a loudspeaker from a distance, requested the driver of the car with license plate 37C-220xx. traveling in the same direction in front to reduce speed and move closer to the right side of the road to give way to the priority vehicle. However, the aforementioned car still calmly drove ahead, refusing to change lanes, despite the loudspeaker of the Traffic Police Department blaring from behind.

Not only fire trucks and traffic police vehicles, but many other priority vehicles are also not allowed to give way when participating in traffic on the road. The situation of jostling and blocking priority vehicles even becomes more serious during rush hours. In fact, there have been many cases of emergency patients whose lives were in danger because the ambulance was stuck in traffic and arrived late.

Ms. Ngo Thi Hoai in Dien Ky commune, Dien Chau shared: Only when in a "boiling water and fire" situation can one see how poor the awareness of passersby is. More than a year ago, my brother accidentally took the wrong medicine and had to call an ambulance to take him to the hospital. Even though the ambulance kept blaring its siren, many people still deliberately pushed and refused to give way. Therefore, although the intestines were flushed and he was lucky to survive, he still has after-effects. The doctor said that if he had been a little slower, his life could have been in danger.

Need to increase sanctions

According to statistics from the provincial Traffic Police Department in implementing Plan No. 1000/KH-PC08 dated August 2, 2019 on Strengthening patrols, control and handling of drivers of road motor vehicles who do not give way or obstruct priority vehicles that are signaling priority on duty on National Highway 1A.

From August 5, 2019 to September 20, 2019, 121 cases were handled, including 3 passenger cars, 113 trucks, 3 cars, and 2 taxis.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Duong - Captain of Traffic Police Team No. 4, Provincial Traffic Police Department said: In reality, in addition to the daily tasks of traffic flow control, handling violations, and traffic guidance, the Traffic Police force also has many other tasks. One of them is the extremely important task of welcoming and guiding high-ranking delegations of the Party, State, and international guests to visit, work, and pass through Nghe An.

To ensure the absolute safety of the convoy, the traffic police must have very detailed and strict plans and strategies. Therefore, any cases of drivers violating the signals and requests of the traffic police or priority vehicles are quickly controlled and handled by the traffic police.

Leaders of the Traffic Police Department of the Provincial Police and Vinh City Police discussed with the driver who did not give way to the fire truck. Photo: D.C.

If the failure to give way to pick-up and escort vehicles by traffic police, in addition to affecting political factors, fails to build a good traffic image, create friendliness, and demonstrate hospitality, then with fire trucks and ambulances, failure to give way also causes many serious consequences.

Colonel Nguyen Ngoc Thanh, Head of the Fire Prevention and Rescue Police Department, Provincial Police, said: Every time a fire truck goes on duty, each driver must be highly focused, both handling situations on the road to avoid accidents and calculating the fastest route to the fire to promptly extinguish the fire, save property, and rescue victims.

Because the first minutes after a fire breaks out are called the “golden time”. Therefore, when seeing a fire truck or any other vehicle signaling priority, drivers participating in traffic must be aware of their responsibility to give way to priority vehicles.

An ambulance driver was upset: “Everyone, try to put yourself in the position of a relative being transported to the emergency room by ambulance, but on the way, despite the loud sirens, other vehicles remain indifferent, pretending not to hear. How would you feel then?

Here, it is no longer a matter of obeying the law, but giving way to an ambulance is also a matter of ethics, a responsibility to the community, because just a few minutes earlier could have saved a life, otherwise there would have been no chance.

In fact, many priority vehicles are stuck between vehicles on the road. Photo: D.C.

In terms of causes, most drivers who were handled by traffic police explained that because their vehicles were long, their doors were closed, they were listening to music, and using their phones, so they did not hear the sirens of priority vehicles. In a few cases, when they encountered priority vehicles while on duty, they lost their composure and did not know how to handle the situation properly...

However, all of this seems to be just an excuse. First of all, giving way to priority vehicles, including fire trucks, rescue vehicles, dyke protection vehicles, ambulances and other vehicles of functional forces on duty, is stipulated in the Road Traffic Law. Next, traffic participants have not really put themselves in the situation of those whose family members are on the way to the emergency room in critical condition, those who are struggling with the raging flames in burning houses, etc.

Therefore, in addition to propagating, disseminating, educating the law and raising people's awareness of traffic participation, so that everyone considers giving way to priority vehicles as an ethical standard and a civilized expression of traffic participants, it is necessary to strictly handle violations.

Many opinions suggest that it is necessary to consider increasing penalties as well as increasing related sanctions to apply additional penalties to those who have repeated offenses, or intentionally obstruct priority vehicles. Because in reality, if not strictly handled, traffic participants will become indifferent to the law, leaving huge consequences for society and the strictness of the law.

According to Decree 46/2016, people who are transported in cars and similar vehicles and do not give way to priority vehicles while on duty will be fined from 2-3 million VND. At the same time, drivers who commit the above acts will also be subject to additional penalties, including having their driver's license revoked for 1-3 months.