The 2024 Road Traffic Law compared to the 2008 Road Traffic Law has many new points, including some notable new points related to children and students.
Accordingly, Article 10 of the Law on Traffic Safety adds general rules in road traffic. In which, Clause 3 stipulates: "When transporting children under 10 years old and under 1.35 meters tall in a car, children must not sit in the same row of seats as the driver, except for cars with only one row of seats; the driver must use and instruct on the use of appropriate safety equipment for children". This regulation takes effect from January 1, 2026.
Article 46 of the Law on Traffic Safety stipulates “Ensuring traffic safety for vehicles transporting preschool children and students”. Accordingly, vehicles used for the transportation of preschool children and students must meet the following requirements:
Ensure the conditions specified in Clause 1 and Clause 2, Article 35 of this Law; have equipment to record images of preschool children and students and equipment with warning functions to prevent children from being left behind in vehicles; have a usage period of no more than 20 years; have paint colors according to Government regulations;
Cars carrying preschool children or primary school students must have age-appropriate seat belts or use vehicles with age-appropriate seats as required by law.
Vehicles used for transportation combined with activities of picking up and dropping off preschool children and students must meet the requirements specified in Clause 3, Article 10, Clauses 1 and 2, Article 35 of this Law; have equipment to record images of preschool children and students and equipment with warning functions to prevent children from being left behind in the vehicle that meet the requirements specified in Point a, Clause 1 of this Article.
In addition, when picking up and dropping off preschool children and primary school students, there must be at least one manager on each car to guide, supervise, maintain order and ensure the safety of preschool children and primary school students throughout the trip.
In case a vehicle has 29 seats or more (excluding the driver's seat) and carries 27 or more preschool children and primary school students, there must be at least 2 managers on each vehicle. The manager and driver are responsible for checking preschool children and primary school students when they get off the vehicle; preschool children and primary school students must not be left on the vehicle when the manager and driver have left the vehicle.
Car drivers transporting preschool children and students must have at least 2 years of experience driving passenger vehicles.
Educational establishments must develop procedures to ensure safety when transporting and picking up preschool children and students; instruct drivers and managers of preschool children and students to understand and properly implement the procedures; and be responsible for ensuring traffic safety when organizing the transport and picking up of preschool children and students of that educational establishment.
Vehicles transporting preschool children and students are given priority in traffic flow organization, traffic regulation, and arrangement of stopping and parking areas in school areas and at points along the routes for transporting preschool children and students.
According to the Ministry of Public Security, the new regulations, when effective, will contribute to better protection for children and students when participating in road traffic.
