Directive No. 04/2003/CT-TTg implements Directive No. 22-CT/TW dated February 24, 2003 of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat on strengthening the Party’s leadership over traffic order and safety work, and continues to implement Resolution No. 13/2002/NQ-CP dated November 19, 2002 of the Government on measures to curb the increase and gradually reduce traffic accidents and congestion.

DIRECTIVE

On strengthening the leadership of the Party over traffic order and safety work, continuing to implement Resolution No. 13/2002/NQ-CP dated November 19, 2002 of the Government on measures to curb the increase and gradually reduce traffic accidents and congestion

After more than three months of implementing Resolution No. 13/2002/NQ-CP of the Government, the situation of traffic order and safety across the country, especially in major cities and towns, has shown positive changes. Traffic accidents (in terms of number of incidents, deaths, and injuries) have decreased, despite an increase of nearly two million vehicles compared to the same period in 2002; traffic congestion in large urban areas has been limited; the awareness of traffic law compliance among participants has improved; discipline in traffic has shown better progress.

However, this is only an initial result. Traffic accidents remain significant, traffic congestion throughout the country is still widespread, continuing to cause substantial losses in terms of human life and property. To implement Directive No. 22-CT/TW dated February 24, 2003 of the Central Committee's Secretariat and continue effectively implementing the measures set forth in Resolution No. 13/2002/NQ-CP dated November 19, 2002 of the Government to curb and gradually reduce traffic accidents, combat traffic congestion, and restore traffic order and safety, the Prime Minister requests ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government agencies, and provincial and municipal people's committees under the central government to focus on directing the implementation of the following tasks:

1. Provincial and municipal people's committees under the central government:

a) Immediately organize a mid-term review to assess, criticize, and draw lessons from the implementation of Resolution No. 13/2002/NQ-CP dated November 19, 2002 of the Government in recent times, in conjunction with the implementation of Directive No. 22-CT/TW dated February 24, 2003 of the Central Committee's Secretariat. Supplement plans and specific measures to continue directing the implementation firmly, comprehensively, persistently, and more effectively at the local level. Consider this as a key political task.

b) Promptly establish traffic safety councils at all levels. The chairpersons of people's committees at all levels shall be fully responsible for traffic order and safety conditions in their respective areas and directly serve as the heads of the corresponding traffic safety councils according to Directive No. 22-CT/TW dated February 24, 2002 of the Central Committee's Secretariat and Resolution No. 02/2003/NQ-CP dated January 17, 2003 of the Government.

c) Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and other cities and towns must accelerate the development of public passenger transport, primarily bus services, to meet the travel needs of the people; simultaneously, proactively propose appropriate measures to limit the use of private vehicles (cars, motorcycles). Continue to focus on directing the formulation of traffic organization plans suitable to the situation, strictly managing to alleviate traffic congestion.

d) Resolve the issue of encroachment on roadways, sidewalks, and protective zones of traffic infrastructure; organize well the locations for administrative penalties and parking of vehicles that violate traffic rules and are temporarily detained.

đ) Continue to closely coordinate with the Fatherland Front and mass organizations during the process of directing and organizing implementation; promote the organization of mass groups to participate in maintaining traffic order and safety.

2. The Ministry of Public Security:

a) Direct the public security forces in various localities to continue strengthening patrol and inspection activities and resolutely handle all violations of traffic order and safety according to Decree No. 14/2003/NĐ-CP dated February 19, 2003 of the Government detailing certain provisions of the Road Traffic Law and Decree No. 15/2003/NĐ-CP dated February 19, 2003 of the Government on administrative penalties for traffic violations. Strictly deal with and prevent illegal motorbike racing, weaving, chasing, or causing disturbances to traffic order. Individuals involved in illegal racing must be prosecuted and tried before the law according to the Criminal Code.

b) Issue circulars guiding the implementation of certain provisions in Decree No. 15/2003/NĐ-CP dated February 19, 2003 of the Government specifying cases where, in addition to fines, temporary detention or confiscation of vehicles, marking the number of violations on driving licenses, suspension of driving license rights with time limits or without time limits should be applied.

c) Coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to prepare budgets for approval by the Prime Minister to equip traffic police with tools and equipment for patrolling and inspecting road traffic; promptly submit to the Government for approval the Project "Strengthening personnel, equipment, training, and policies for the Road Traffic Police Force." At the same time, strengthen education to build a clean and strong traffic police force, and strictly deal with corrupt behaviors that inconvenience and harass the people.

d) Coordinate with the Ministry of Transport and local people's committees to strengthen inspection and supervision, and strictly punish corrupt behaviors of cadres, soldiers, civil servants, and staff in various stages of work: patrols, inspections, handling violations, training, testing, issuing driving licenses, and technical safety inspections of vehicles.

đ) Coordinate with the Ministry of Transport to guide and direct the traffic police force to implement regulations requiring each person to register only one motorcycle to encourage the use of public transportation and limit the increase in the number of motorcycles and scooters.

3. Ministry of Transport:

a) Direct the organization of good training and examination for driving licenses; regularly inspect training institutions, immediately suspend those not complying with regulations.

b) Strengthen inspection of technical safety vehicle testing work, supplement and adjust specific regulations to enhance the responsibility of organizations and individuals in vehicle testing; comply with the provisions on the service life of passenger transport vehicles as stipulated in Decree No. 92/2001/NĐ-CP dated December 11, 2001 of the Government on conditions for operating passenger transportation by road; promptly draft and submit to the Government a decree on the service life of trucks.

c) Accelerate traffic planning in general and urban traffic planning in particular; develop a strategy for the development of road infrastructure and the rational development of various types of road transport vehicles; formulate and promptly submit to the Government policies prioritizing public passenger transport, appropriately limiting individual motor vehicles; implement immediate improvements and upgrades to sections of roads frequently involved in traffic accidents.

4. The Ministry of Finance shall guide the use of fines from administrative violations towards ensuring traffic order and safety, mainly for training allowances for traffic police forces and other forces directly participating in ensuring traffic order and safety; supplement funding for equipping traffic police with patrol and control vehicles and fuel; issue on-the-spot fine receipts in accordance with the Administrative Violation Handling Law; promulgate regulations increasing registration fees and stamp duties for motor vehicles according to Resolution No. 13/2002/NQ-CP dated November 19, 2002 of the Government.

5. The Ministry of Education and Training shall direct and organize inspections of measures to ensure traffic order and safety in schools; prevent students under age from riding motorcycles or motorbikes to school; prohibit university students from driving motorcycles or motorbikes without a driver's license, racing, or encouraging others to race. For students and university students who violate the Road Traffic Law, in addition to common penalties under Decree No. 15/2003/NĐ-CP dated February 19, 2003 of the Government, the Ministry of Education and Training must also apply additional disciplinary measures of the school.

6. Central and local mass media agencies must allocate regular and extensive columns to promote the implementation of Directive No. 22-CT/TW dated February 24, 2003 of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat and Resolution No. 13/2002/NQ-CP dated November 19, 2002, Decrees No. 14 and No. 15/2003/NĐ-CP dated February 19, 2003 of the Government, and this directive of the Prime Minister; promptly report on regions, units, and individuals who perform well and those who do not, to encourage learning and create a nationwide movement to restore traffic order and safety. The National Traffic Safety Committee shall print policy and legal documents on traffic safety issued by the Party and State for wide dissemination among the people.

7. State officials, civil servants, members of political-social organizations must set a good example by strictly adhering to traffic laws, while educating and reminding family members to do the same. When state officials, civil servants, and members of political-social organizations violate traffic laws, they will be subject to both legal penalties and disciplinary action by their respective agencies or organizations.

8. The National Traffic Safety Committee shall regularly inspect and urge ministries, sectors, and localities to implement these directives and report to the Prime Minister every three months on the implementation status.

Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-affiliated agencies, Chairpersons of provincial and centrally-administered city People's Committees are responsible for implementing this directive.