Directive No. 08/2001/CT-TTg On concentrating efforts to implement certain measures to reduce traffic accidents and alleviate traffic congestion

 DIRECTIVE

Regarding the concentration on implementing certain measures to

limit traffic accidents and address traffic congestion

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In recent times, although many efforts have been made by various sectors and localities to implement emergency measures to reduce traffic accidents, the number of traffic accidents in 2000 still significantly increased compared to 1999, and there has not been a strong improvement in traffic safety management work. To more effectively address the increasing trend of traffic accidents and traffic congestion, and to implement Resolution No. 02/2001/NQ-CP dated March 2, 2001 of the Government, the Prime Minister requests that all Ministries, sectors, and People's Committees at all levels strictly implement Directive No. 33/1999/CT-TTg dated December 27, 1999 on enhancing state management responsibilities in traffic safety work and immediately carry out the following tasks:

1. Ministry of Public Security:

a) It is necessary to create a strong and sustained change in the inspection, supervision, and strict handling of violations of traffic regulations. Strengthen inspections and penalties for all types of violations, not only those committed by motor vehicle drivers but also by drivers of simple vehicles and pedestrians. Police forces need to closely cooperate with traffic inspectors, volunteer youth groups, self-management organizations, and the Fatherland Front, with detailed plans to ensure that after the implementation of this Directive, the situation of traffic law violations will be significantly reduced.

b) Closely coordinate with the transportation sector and People's Committees of provinces and cities to urgently develop and implement traffic organization plans, lane allocation, and traffic guidance schemes in cities, towns, and important traffic routes to ensure traffic order and safety. In the short term, measures should be applied to alleviate traffic congestion in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

c) Implement stronger measures to effectively prevent illegal motorcycle racing. At the same time, submit to the Government proposals to amend and supplement current laws to provide a legal basis for effectively combating illegal racing.

d) Prioritize equipping devices to promptly detect drunk or drug-impaired drivers and other stimulants, impose severe penalties; temporarily confiscate driver licenses of such drivers and immediately inform the relevant management agencies to handle the cases together.

2. The Ministry of Transport:

a) Coordinate with related agencies to continuously and widely promote helmet wearing when riding motorcycles and scooters. Simultaneously, continue to effectively implement quality testing of helmets, guide the production of suitable helmet models for Vietnam's conditions, ensuring that by June 2001, there will be sufficient helmets available for the market at stable prices. Submit to the Government necessary legal provisions to mandate helmet wearing when riding motorcycles and scooters.

Urge and create favorable conditions for Ministries and sectors to organize for officials and civil servants to set a good example by mandatorily wearing helmets when riding motorcycles and scooters.

b) Strengthen inspections of vehicle safety testing procedures, clearly define the responsibilities of inspection officers, station chiefs, and other levels involved in the testing process. Severely penalize individuals and facilities that violate inspection procedures or allow vehicles without meeting safety standards to operate under any pretext.

c) The railway sector needs to review, inspect, and reassess the safety of railway lines, especially at intersections with roads, proactively collaborate with the Ministry of Public Security to develop measures to reduce accidents on railway lines.

d) Organize lessons learned and evaluate the effectiveness of measures implemented to address "black spots" in the past. Continue addressing "black spots" on national highways and steep mountainous sections.

đ) Organize training and examinations for driver's licenses properly; regularly inspect training institutions and firmly revoke their training permits if they fail to meet conditions and standards or engage in corrupt practices. Strictly punish organizations and individuals involved in corrupt activities during training, examination, testing, and issuing driver's licenses.

e) Collaborate with the Ministry of Finance to establish financial mechanisms enabling localities to build centralized testing centers, encouraging localities to invest in modern testing centers.

3. The Ministry of Education and Training instructs the Directors of Provincial Departments of Education and Training, Principals of universities, colleges, and vocational schools to take the lead and coordinate with local functional agencies to inspect all schools regarding students' use of motorcycles and scooters. Schools must take responsibility for educating and strictly dealing with students who do not comply with legal age and type restrictions on motorcycles and scooters. At the same time, they must closely cooperate with families and police forces in educating and handling cases of deliberate violations. Schools must view this as an important legal education measure to instill compliance habits among students and trainees.

This must be completed before the end of the 2000-2001 academic year and measures should be maintained to sustain results in subsequent years.

4. The Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front shall develop a dissemination program to enable all social strata to understand legal provisions on traffic order and safety, and educate the public's awareness of law compliance. This program should be integrated into the movement "all people unite to build new residential areas" organized by the Fatherland Front.

5. Central and local mass media agencies shall launch extensive publicity campaigns on the contents of this Directive, severely criticize participants who do not comply with traffic laws, and promptly report negative phenomena and improper behaviors of enforcement personnel to the competent authorities for timely handling.

6. The People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities shall continue to intensify measures to reduce traffic accidents and traffic congestion in their respective localities; resolutely handle cases of encroachment on roadways, sidewalks, and protective zones of transportation works. The People's Committee shall allocate funds from fines for violations of traffic regulations to strengthen patrol, control, and violation handling forces.

Ministers, heads of ministerial-level agencies, heads of government-affiliated agencies, Chairpersons of the People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities are responsible for promptly directing the implementation of this Directive and regularly reporting the results to the Prime Minister.

The National Traffic Safety Committee shall regularly urge ministries and localities to implement this Directive and compile reports on its implementation to submit to the Prime Minister./.