Don't dare to "bet" your life
Once, after taking a motorbike taxi and falling off a motorbike, Luong Thi Ha My (Cau Giay, Hanoi) was left with a lifelong scar. She is always cautious of drivers who constantly use their phones while driving.
My said that there are drivers who strictly follow traffic laws, but there are also drivers who do not. The time she took that bus, she was going from My Dinh to her rented room during rush hour. The driver kept using his phone to look up directions and surf social media. My was annoyed and reminded him. The driver put his phone on the phone holder but still lacked concentration while driving. As a result, when he reached the intersection, the motorbike taxi driver, due to lack of observation, braked suddenly, causing both the driver and the motorbike to "spread out" onto the road, injuring My.
Reading the article "Answering the case of a technology motorbike taxi not being fined when looking at a Map" on Lao Dong newspaper, reader Nguyen Phuc shared: "If you look at a map, you have to pull over to the side of the road, but if you keep driving and texting on your phone, it's easy to cause an accident. Many delivery men, just driving and texting on their phone, can't see ahead, at that time the possibility of an accident is very high."
The "difficulty" of the technology motorbike taxi profession
Through the reporter's observations, from the perspective of a technology motorbike taxi driver, a mobile phone is an "inseparable item" and a must-have. Most technology motorbike taxi drivers believe that having a phone holder mounted right on the front of the motorbike will make it more convenient to look up the map.
Nguyen Dinh Luan - a Grab driver - said: "I look up the map on my phone but leave it on the holder. When approaching turns, I just glance at it, still ensuring safety."
Not only technology drivers, many people also agree with this new proposal, as long as safety is ensured. Understanding the "difficulty" of technology drivers, Ms. Vu Thi Kieu Trinh (Dong Da, Hanoi) shared: "I don't know the way, not all motorbike taxi drivers know all the alleys, so mounting the phone right in front will save time and be more convenient."
According to current regulations at Point h, Clause 4 and Point b, Point c, Clause 10, Article 6 of Decree 100/2019/ND-CP (amended and supplemented at Point g, Clause 34 and Point c, Clause 35, Article 2 of Decree 123/2021/ND-CP) as follows:
Fines from VND 800,000 to VND 1,000,000 shall be imposed on drivers of motorbikes, mopeds (including electric motorbikes), motorbike-like vehicles and moped-like vehicles who use mobile phones or audio devices, except hearing aids.
The draft Decree regulating administrative sanctions for violations of traffic order and safety in the field of road traffic; deduction of points and restoration of points on driving licenses is expected to take effect from January 1, 2025 as follows:
A fine of VND 800,000 to VND 1,000,000 shall be imposed on a driver who commits one of the following violations: The driver uses an umbrella, audio equipment (except hearing aids), handles and uses a phone or other electronic devices.
Therefore, motorbike drivers, including technology-based motorbike taxi drivers, who only use their phones to look up Maps (without using their hands) may not be fined according to the new draft, expected to take effect from January 1, 2025.
