In a recent document contributing to the debate on the new content of the road safety bill, the ministry clearly expresses its position on “maintaining the regulation of zero blood alcohol content while driving”.
According to the Ministry of Health, Vietnam is the second country in terms of alcohol and beer consumption in Southeast Asia, 10th in Asia and 29th in the world.
The Ministry of Public Security considers this rate “alarming”.
More than 50% of cases of murder, public disorder, rape and violations of road vehicle traffic rules involve offenders who had consumed alcohol before committing the crimes, the press release said.
Thus, strict control of alcohol content helps ensure road safety and social order.
Additionally, the zero blood alcohol limit regulation helps drivers avoid the situation of “being pushed to drink” in a community culture where politeness often prevails, the ministry said.
If there was a limit allowed, people would continue to drink, he said.
“Alcoholic beverages are addictive and once started, it is not easy to stop. Once intoxicated, it becomes difficult to remember what the laws stipulate,” the ministry document states.
The ministry noted that some Vietnamese drivers are not very aware of respecting traffic laws and some of them even deliberately violated the rules or defied law enforcement.
Such behavior can “cost many lives,” hence the need for strict laws.
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Police stop a motorcyclist in Go Vap district of HCMC to test the alcohol level in his breath, December 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Dinh Van |
Additionally, traffic conditions in Vietnam are different from those in developed countries, where cars travel on lanes and at distances appropriate to their speed, giving drivers about 0.5 seconds to recognize an emergency situation. and an additional 0.5 seconds to react.
Thus, when a driver breaks the law and causes an accident, the risk of collision between multiple vehicles would be reduced.
For Vietnam to achieve this, cars traveling at 40 km/h must maintain a distance of more than 22 meters between them, which is “unimaginable in Vietnam”, where vehicles are only separated by a few meters at 40 km/h. h.
“Traffic on Vietnamese roads requires drivers to remain vigilant and react several times faster in the event of sudden situations,” the ministry said.
According to official data from the ministry, from June 2022 to December 2023, 20% of deaths and injuries due to road accidents were related to driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI).
From 2018 to 2023, there were 2.74 million emergency room visits and hospital treatments due to traffic accidents, including more than 425,000 cases related to drunk driving.
The department says monitoring DUI violations among drivers is proving very effective.
In 2023, road accidents linked to drunk driving decreased by 25% in incidents, 50% in deaths and 22% in injuries compared to 2022.
The number of people hospitalized for road accidents this Tet reduced by 12% compared to the same period last year, with major hospitals seeing a notable drop in the number of patients under the influence of alcohol.
More than 23,000 people were hospitalized due to traffic-related incidents during the Lunar New Year holiday between February 8 and 14, a decrease of 12.1% compared to the same period last year. last year, according to reports from the Ministry of Health.
For these reasons, the Ministry of Public Security considers it necessary to maintain the regulations of the Law on Prevention and Control of Harms of Alcohol and Beer Abuse by absolutely prohibiting people from consuming alcohol. ‘Drunk Driving.
Penalties for drunk driving can include a fine of up to VND40 million ($1,640) and a two-year license suspension, while those who cause accidents while drunk can face facing criminal charges.
The government and traffic authorities have been enforcing DUI checks more rigorously than ever for several months.
In November 2023, when the National Assembly discussed the Road Safety and Order Bill, the regulations punishing drivers with blood alcohol content attracted mixed opinions.
Many representatives considered that the current absolute ban on driving, regardless of alcohol level, was inappropriate and suggested setting limits on fines.
These members recommended referring to international experience and setting appropriate blood alcohol levels for each type of vehicle; ensure consistency with the regulations of the Criminal Code.
The draft law on road safety and order is expected to be considered for approval by the National Assembly in mid-2024.
