Decree No. 109/2009/ND-CP on signals for priority vehicles

 

DECREE

REGULATIONS ON SIGNALS OF PRIORITY VEHICLES

THE GOVERNMENT

On the basis of Law on Government Organization dated December 25, 2001;
On the basis of Law on Road Traffic No. 23/2008/QH12 dated November 13, 2008;
Considering the proposal of the Minister of Public Security,

DECREE

PART I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

1. This Decree stipulates regulations on signals; technical requirements; installation, management, and use of equipment emitting priority signals for vehicles with priority rights.

2. Equipment emitting priority signals for vehicles with priority rights includes:

a. Horns emitting priority signals;

b. Priority flags;

c. Lights emitting priority signals.

Article 2. Applicability

This Decree applies to agencies, organizations, and individuals managing and using priority vehicles, including fire trucks on emergency missions, military vehicles, police vehicles on urgent missions, traffic police leading vehicles, ambulances performing rescue missions, dike protection vehicles, vehicles dealing with natural disasters and epidemics, vehicles performing urgent missions as prescribed by law; related production and business establishments and individuals involved in manufacturing priority signal equipment; means of transportation and persons participating in road traffic.

Article 3. Regulations for vehicles on urgent missions

1. Military vehicles on urgent missions include: military vehicles carrying out command tasks for firefighting, rescue, combat operations, urgent communication tasks, commanding marching columns, supervising military vehicles, protecting convoys; vehicles executing arrest, search, or investigative activities, apprehending criminals, participating in anti-terrorism efforts.

2. Police vehicles on urgent missions include: vehicles carrying out arrest, search, or investigative activities, apprehending criminal suspects, suppressing demonstrations, riots, dispersing crowds disrupting public order, patrolling and supervising traffic, commanding counter-terrorism combat operations, urgent communication tasks, commanding marching columns.

3. Ambulances performing rescue missions are those transporting or going to pick up critically ill patients.

4. Vehicles on urgent missions are those implementing special measures when there is a serious threat to national security and social order and safety, or in case of major disasters or dangerous epidemics.

Chapter II
SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

Article 4. Signals of fire trucks on emergency missions

Fire trucks have rotating or flashing red lights mounted on the roof; they also have horns emitting priority signals.

Article 5. Signals of military vehicles on urgent missions

1. Passenger cars have rotating or flashing red lights mounted on the roof, military flags attached to the left side of the front of the vehicle; they also have horns emitting priority signals.

2. Motorcycles have rotating or flashing red lights mounted on the front or rear fork; military flags attached to the front of the vehicle; they also have horns emitting priority signals.

Article 6. Signals of police vehicles on urgent missions

1. Passenger cars have rotating or flashing blue or red lights mounted on the roof, police flags attached to the left side of the front of the vehicle; they also have horns emitting priority signals.

2. Motorcycles have rotating or flashing blue or red lights mounted on the front or rear fork, police flags attached to the front of the vehicle; they also have horns emitting priority signals.

Article 7. Signals of traffic police escort vehicles

1. Passenger cars equipped with rotating or flashing lights emitting blue-red light mounted on the roof of the vehicle, police flags attached to the front left side of the vehicle; equipped with sirens for priority signals.

2. Motorcycles equipped with rotating or flashing lights emitting blue or red light mounted on the front or rear forks; police flags attached to the front of the vehicle; equipped with sirens for priority signals.

Article 8. Signals of ambulances performing emergency rescue tasks

Ambulances equipped with rotating or flashing lights emitting red light mounted on the roof of the vehicle; equipped with sirens for priority signals.

Article 9. Signals of dike protection vehicles and vehicles performing urgent tasks as prescribed by law

1. Dike rescue vehicles have "DIKE PROTECTION" flags attached to the front left side of the vehicle.

2. Vehicles performing disaster relief, epidemic control tasks or urgent tasks as prescribed by law shall be carried out as follows:

a. Vehicles performing disaster relief, epidemic control tasks have special signs.

b. Vehicles performing urgent tasks as prescribed by law have "URGENCY SITUATION" flags attached to the front left side of the vehicle.

Article 10. Technical requirements for sirens for priority signals

1. Technical requirements for sirens for priority signals of passenger cars

2. Technical requirements for sirens for priority signals of motorcycles (two or three wheels)

Article 11. Technical requirements for lights for priority signals

1. Technical requirements for lights for priority signals of passenger cars

2. Technical requirements for lights for priority signals of motorcycles (two or three wheels)

3. Types of lights and shapes

Article 12. Technical requirements for priority flags

1. Priority flag of military vehicles performing urgent tasks

Equilateral triangular flag, base width 23 cm, height 37 cm, red background, with yellow military emblem and arrow in the center, two sides with yellow fringe 3.5 cm long; flagpole height 50 cm, flagpole diameter 1.5 cm.

2. Priority flag of police vehicles performing urgent tasks, traffic police escort vehicles.

Equilateral triangular flag, base width 27 cm, height 37 cm, two sides sewn with yellow fringe 4 cm long, green background, with embroidered arrow 23.5 cm long, arrowhead 5 cm wide 3 cm long, arrow shaft width 0.5 cm, arrowhead distance from seam of flagpole sleeve 2 cm, police emblem and arrow embroidered in the middle of the arrow shaft, yellow color; flagpole height 50 cm, flagpole diameter 1.5 cm.

3. Priority flag of dike protection vehicles

Rectangular flag, frame with red border size 20 cm x 30 cm, white background, with embroidered "DIKE PROTECTION" letters in red in the center, letter height 4.8 cm, letter stroke width 1.0 cm; flagpole height 50 cm, flagpole diameter 1.5 cm.

4. Technical requirements for priority flags of vehicles used in national security and social order emergencies or when there are major disasters, dangerous epidemics shall be implemented according to the law on emergency situations.

Article 13. Installation of Priority Signal Devices

Only vehicles entitled to priority as specified in Articles 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of this Decree shall be allowed to install priority signal devices.

Article 14. Position for Installing Priority Signal Devices

The installation of sirens, flags, and lights on priority-entitled vehicles must be in the correct position. Based on the size of each type of vehicle, the installation position should be determined appropriately (including fixed installations or temporary installations). When the siren and light signals from priority-entitled vehicles are activated, they must meet the conditions regarding sound and light so that people and other traffic participants can recognize them:

1. Passenger Cars: Priority signal lights installed on the roof above the driver's seat; priority signal sirens installed inside the car or on the roof; priority flags attached to the left front of the vehicle.

2. Motorcycles: Priority signal lights installed on the right handlebar, either in front or at the rear; priority signal sirens installed at the front of the motorcycle; priority flags attached to the front of the motorcycle.

Article 15. Use of Priority Signals

1. Priority-entitled vehicles may only use priority signals when performing duties; the use of priority signals by each type of priority-entitled vehicle must comply with the provisions set out in Articles 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of this Decree.

2. Strictly prohibited are motorized road traffic vehicles not belonging to the types of priority-entitled vehicles from installing and using sirens, flags, and lights for priority signals, or priority-entitled vehicles using sirens, flags, and lights for priority signals not in accordance with the provisions of this Decree.

Article 16. Production, Business Operation, and Importation of Priority Signal Devices for Priority-Entitled Vehicles

1. The production, business operation, and importation of priority signal devices for priority-entitled vehicles fall under the category of business activities subject to conditions concerning public security and social order.

2. Organizations and individuals engaged in the production, business operation, and importation of priority signal devices for priority-entitled vehicles are only permitted to install or sell such devices to organizations and individuals holding permits to use priority signal devices for priority-entitled vehicles issued by the authorities managing and operating priority-entitled vehicles.

Chapter III
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR MANAGING PRIORITY-ENTITLED VEHICLES

Article 17. Responsibilities of the Ministry of Public Security

1. The Ministry of Public Security is responsible for leading and coordinating with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to establish and guide uniform management of the production, importation, business operation subject to conditions concerning public security and social order, and the installation and use of priority signal devices for priority-entitled vehicles in accordance with the law.

2. Direct the implementation of inspections, controls, detection, and strict handling of violations related to the installation and use of priority signal devices for priority-entitled vehicles; monitor, guide, and inspect the implementation of this Decree.

Article 18. Responsibilities of Ministries, Sectoral Agencies, and People's Committees of Provinces and Cities Under Central Government Administration

Ministries, sectoral agencies, and People's Committees of provinces and cities under central government administration are responsible for organizing management, inspection, dissemination, and popularization of legal regulations concerning various types of priority-entitled vehicles, the installation, and use of priority signal devices for vehicles under their management; strictly handle organs, units, and individuals under their management who violate regulations on the installation and use of priority signal devices for priority-entitled vehicles within their jurisdiction.

Chapter IV
IMPLEMENTING PROVISIONS

Article 19. Effective Date

This Decree takes effect from February 1, 2010.

Article 20. Responsibility for Implementation

Ministers, Heads of Ministries equivalent to Ministries, Heads of Government Agencies, Chairpersons of People's Committees of provinces and cities under central government administration are responsible for implementing this Decree./.