Reducing the number of accidents
Decree 168/2024/ND-CP of the Government regulating administrative sanctions for violations of traffic order and safety in the field of road traffic; deduction of points, restoration of driving license points officially takes effect from January 1, 2025.
After Decree 168 was put into effect, it has created positive changes in awareness, behavior of traffic participation and the situation of Traffic Safety and Order (TTATGT).
According to statistics from the Hanoi Traffic Police Department, after 1.5 months of applying Decree 168, traffic safety violations on roads have decreased sharply.
Accordingly, from January 1 to February 15, 2025, the city's traffic police force handled 24,080 violations, a decrease of 18,160 cases compared to the previous adjacent period (down 42.9%).
In addition, the authorities have revoked 1,050 driving licenses, deducting driving license points for 2,714 cases.
Notably, violations with a high risk of leading to traffic accidents (TNGT), such as alcohol concentration, speeding, overloading, and running red lights, all recorded a significant decrease.
Accordingly, from January 1 to February 15, 2025, violations of alcohol concentration decreased by 36.8% compared to the previous period; speed errors decreased by 27.6%; violating traffic light signals decreased by 58.4%; overloaded vehicles decreased by 54%...
With drastic handling, as well as increased propaganda, violations of helmets have also decreased by nearly half compared to the previous period. Accordingly, violations of regulations on wearing helmets have decreased from more than 14,000 cases to 7,417 cases.
Regarding the traffic situation, from January 1 to February 15, 2025, the whole city had 133 cases, killing 83 people and injuring 92.
Compared to the adjacent period (November 16, 2024 - December 31, 2024), there was a decrease of 56 cases, a decrease of 17 deaths and a decrease of 40 injuries.
The above impressive figures have spoken out about the positive changes when Decree 168 comes into life.
To achieve that result, in addition to the synchronous and drastic participation of the authorities, there is also the consensus and support of the majority of people in ensuring traffic order and safety.
Continue to pay attention to traffic infrastructure
Sharing with Lao Dong newspaper reporters about the initial effectiveness of Decree 168, Dr. Nguyen Huu Duc - Urban transport expert said that it is not correct to say that the awareness of traffic participants has completely changed. However, the attitude of voluntarily complying with traffic laws is the most obvious thing.
"From the fear of being fined, it will gradually become self-awareness, then change awareness towards positivity and finally form a civilized traffic culture. Decree 168 is contributing to that. We need a whole process of construction, not in a day or two," Dr. Nguyen Huu Duc shared.
Agreeing with the above opinion, Architect Tran Huy Anh - Standing Member of the Hanoi Architects Association said that, as well as the regulation on penalties for alcohol concentration violations, initially when applied, there were many difficulties, receiving many mixed opinions due to the heavy fine.
However, up to now, it can be seen that alcohol concentration violations have decreased significantly. Decree 168 has only been put into practice for a short time, so more time is needed for people to adapt.
Architect Tran Huy Anh said that in addition to adjusting the penalty level, it is necessary to strengthen the dialogue environment, applying modern technology to the performance of public duties of the authorities so that violators "carefully dress up" when being handled.
Experts also said that special attention should be paid to traffic infrastructure, which is a factor contributing to building a civilized and safe traffic environment.
"To completely resolve the congestion, it takes a long process, but we need temporary solutions.
Simply because many traffic lights have been broken recently, affecting people's travel, if there is support technology, timely notification to the management unit and quick correction, traffic safety will be ensured", said Architect Tran Huy Anh.
