Directive No. 33/1999/CT-TTg on Strengthening State Management Responsibilities in Ensuring Traffic Order and Safety

DIRECTIVE

On Strengthening State Management Responsibilities

in Traffic Order and Safety Work

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After a period of implementing Government Decrees on traffic order and safety, generally, the situation of traffic order and safety throughout the country has shown clear improvements, the self-awareness of citizens in complying with traffic laws has increased. This is the result of changes in the understanding of all participants in traffic, the determination and persistence of agencies, local authorities, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and various mass organizations at all levels in restoring traffic order and safety.

However, recently, road surfaces and sidewalks in urban areas, protective zones for transportation infrastructure in some places have been reclaimed again, people along railway lines have illegally opened many unauthorized crossings, phenomena such as sand excavation or material extraction occupying train and ship lanes still exist on some waterway transport routes, etc. Additionally, the driving skills of many motor vehicle drivers have not met the increasingly high requirements due to increasing traffic density. The main cause of this situation is the relaxation of certain aspects in traffic order and safety work in some sectors and localities; the lack of attention from mass media in publicizing and disseminating legal regulations on traffic order and safety; inspection and supervision work has sometimes been lax or violations have not been properly and strictly dealt with. This situation has led to an increase in traffic accidents, causing traffic congestion, especially in large cities.

In light of this situation, the Government issued Resolution No. 10/1999/NQ-CP dated August 27, 1999, highlighting several urgent issues regarding traffic order and safety. The primary responsibility for ensuring traffic order and safety lies with the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Public Security, and local People's Committees at all levels. However, to strengthen state management responsibilities in this work to effectively implement Resolution No. 10/1999/NQ-CP dated August 27, 1999 of the Government and ensure traffic order and safety in 2000, which is a year with many national holidays, the Prime Minister instructs the Ministers of relevant Ministries and Chairmen of provincial and municipal People's Committees directly under the Central Government to immediately organize and carry out the following tasks:

1. The Ministry of Transport needs to focus on urgently implementing the following key tasks within the shortest possible time:

a) Timely statistics on points and areas prone to traffic accidents on highways with high traffic density, at intersections with railways, and at narrow or dangerous river sections; immediately implement appropriate measures to address each specific point and area;

b) Coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security, the People's Committee of Hanoi City and Ho Chi Minh City, and the People's Committees of provinces along National Highway 1, National Highway 5, and National Highway 51 within their respective jurisdictions to study and organize traffic flow distribution, and implement urgent measures to reduce traffic accidents and resolve traffic congestion in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh Cities;

c) Conduct a comprehensive inspection of railway crossings to improve and supplement safety equipment at authorized crossings; coordinate with localities to develop plans for the network of railway crossings towards building bypass roads to eventually eliminate unauthorized crossings opened by residents;

d) Promptly replace navigational aids and signs on rivers with high transport density and at critical points threatening waterway traffic safety. Regularly inspect permits for using water surfaces for construction material extraction on certain rivers;

đ) Effective measures must be taken to enhance the quality of driver training, particularly for those operating passenger-carrying vehicles. Regularly inspect and promptly correct the issuance of driver licenses and vehicle inspection procedures for all types of vehicles involved in traffic;

2. The Ministry of Public Security directs police forces to strengthen inspections, controls, and strict handling of traffic law violations. Violation handling must comply with legal provisions and be based on the fault of the violator, regardless of whether they are pedestrians, drivers of simple or motorized vehicles, without overlooking violations or reducing penalties for unjustifiable reasons. At the same time, direct police forces to strictly implement the Prime Minister's Directive No. 21/1998/CT-TTg dated April 24, 1998.

3. The Ministry of Education and Training urgently completes the curriculum for traffic safety education in schools, quickly incorporating it into regular courses at all educational levels, assigning principals of schools near traffic areas the responsibility for maintaining traffic order and safety around school gates, and strictly dealing with students and trainees involved in or encouraging illegal racing.

4. The Ministry of Finance promptly allocates and disburses funds approved annually for traffic order and safety activities according to actual needs; cooperate with relevant ministries and sectors to study amendments and supplements to regulations on managing and using funds for traffic order and safety work to prevent misuse.

5. The Ministry of Health takes the lead in planning the system of emergency stations for traffic accident victims nationwide; soon issue specific regulations on traffic accident emergency services in hospitals and health centers; take the lead and cooperate with mass organizations in campaigns promoting helmet use when riding motorcycles and seat belt use when traveling in cars.

6. Provincial and municipal People's Committees directly under the Central Government take the lead and closely coordinate with relevant ministries and sectors to implement the following tasks:

a) Implement effective and resolute measures to combat encroachment on roadways, sidewalks, and protective corridors for road and railway infrastructure; mobilize local forces to immediately clear areas that have been re-encroached upon or are currently being encroached upon. Regularly inspect the implementation of this work in districts, counties, towns, wards, and communes; clearly define the responsibilities of each level and unit to handle appropriately;

b) Propose to the Ministry of Transport to concentrate privately opened crossings over railways at certain points equipped with sufficient markers and signs to guide people's passage; resolutely eliminate crossings over railways that do not comply with current regulations;

c) Minimize the formation of new residential clusters along railway and road routes; carefully consider traffic safety aspects when granting permits for new housing construction along these routes;

d) Large cities must urgently coordinate with the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Transport to implement effective measures to address traffic congestion on streets during peak hours;

đ) Allocate appropriate funds for grassroots levels (districts, counties, wards, communes) to carry out traffic order and safety assurance work and regularly inspect the use of these funds at the grassroots level;

7. Central and local mass media agencies need to open special columns to publicize specific legal provisions regarding traffic safety. The content should be practical, linked to specific situations in daily life so that all social strata can easily understand and remember for application. At the same time, it is necessary to provide essential information about the actual situation and guide public opinion towards urgent issues that need attention in the field of traffic safety assurance;

8. The National Traffic Safety Committee is responsible for coordinating the activities of relevant sectors and localities in implementing these tasks; report periodically every quarter to the Prime Minister on the implementation of this Directive by ministries, sectors, and localities;

Request the Ministers of Ministries, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of government-affiliated agencies, and Chairpersons of provincial and centrally-administered city People's Committees to immediately organize the implementation of this Directive, report periodically on the results of its implementation, and any arising difficulties.