Tighten traffic safety
At the beginning of the new school year, localities across the country are strengthening solutions to ensure traffic safety.
In Hanoi, the Traffic Police Department of Hanoi City Police has increased 100% of its personnel on duty along the entire route, coordinating with the police of wards, communes and towns to ensure traffic safety at schools; intersections near the school area are at risk of congestion during rush hour.
Major Nguyen Manh Hung, Deputy Captain of Traffic Police Team No. 1, said that Road Traffic Police Team No. 1 will continue to effectively implement Plan No. 68/KH-BCA-C08 dated February 16, 2024 of the Ministry of Public Security to implement Directive No. 31/CT-TTg dated December 21, 2023 of the Prime Minister on "Strengthening traffic safety assurance for school-age children in the new situation".
The unit will coordinate with local educational institutions to strengthen propaganda and instruct students on safe traffic skills.
In Thai Nguyen, on the opening day of the school year, at Thai Nguyen High School for the Gifted, Thai Nguyen province, the Traffic Safety Committee of Thai Nguyen province coordinated with the Department of Education and Training to organize a launching ceremony to respond to the Peak Month to ensure traffic safety for students going to school.
At the program, Mr. Pham Viet Duc, Director of the Department of Education and Training of Thai Nguyen province said: In recent years, the number of traffic accidents occurring in our country has always been high. The number of deaths due to traffic accidents has reached an alarming level.
At the launching ceremony, the Director of the Department of Education and Training of Thai Nguyen province requested high schools, Departments of Education and Training, and educational institutions in the province to continue to thoroughly grasp and effectively implement Directive No. 31/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister on strengthening the work of ensuring traffic safety and order for school-age children in the new situation.
Perfecting the law to protect children in traffic
In recent years, the situation of road traffic order and safety has had positive changes but is still complicated.
Traffic accidents remain high and serious, posing many potential safety risks, especially for children.
Traffic accidents and deaths due to traffic accidents in children are serious problems that need the attention of the whole society.
The Road Law and the Road Traffic Safety Law, which took effect from January 1, 2025, are an important step forward in perfecting the law on child protection; creating a legal basis for children to be better protected, minimizing the risk of accidents and casualties when participating in road traffic.
The Law on Traffic Safety has many points of concern for traffic safety for children. Typically, the regulation must "Have seats, beds, seat belts, seat belt anchors in accordance with regulations; have instructions for installing seats, installing seat belts for children in cars carrying up to 9 people" (Article 49 of the Road Law); "Children under 10 years old or under 1.35 meters tall when transported in a car must not sit in the same row as the driver when participating in road traffic; children under 4 years old must be transported in seats designed for children (except for passenger transport vehicles according to the provisions of the road law); The driver is responsible for checking and instructing children on how to fasten seat belts" (Article 9 of the Law on Road Traffic Safety).
To further improve traffic safety, authorities still need to focus on educating students about traffic safety and order.
The Ministry of Education and Training is responsible for integrating the content of propaganda and legal education on traffic order and safety into the subjects of the official curriculum in accordance with each grade and training level, educational objectives, and training sector; developing propaganda and legal education materials on road traffic order and safety, safe traffic participation skills, and traffic culture for students. Thereby, raising children's awareness of the dangers caused by traffic accidents; at the same time, raising children's awareness and skills when participating in traffic. This is an important measure to prevent accidents for children early and from afar.
