At the international conference "Motorcycle Traffic Safety: Challenges and Lessons Learned" held from November 4 to November 5, Mr. Khuat Viet Hung, Director of the Institute of Transport Strategy and Development, recommended that Vietnam needs to have separate safe roads for motorbikes.
Mr. Khuat Viet Hung said that we are currently building laws and a safe traffic culture for motorbike riders based on the safety philosophy for cars, so despite the efforts, the results are still limited.
Mr. Hung emphasized the need to persevere in standardizing technical standards on safe traffic infrastructure for motorbikes.
"There must be safe roads for motorcyclists, this is a problem that the management agency needs to solve. The majority of motorcyclists in Vietnam are people of working age, directly contributing to the development and prosperity of the country. Therefore, the type of vehicle they choose to use deserves to have safe infrastructure, so that they can participate in traffic safely" - Mr. Hung emphasized.
According to Mr. Hung, in Vietnam, motorbikes account for 93% of vehicles, and the number of fatalities due to traffic accidents involving motorbike riders accounts for more than 90%. Meanwhile, this is still a popular means of transportation in Vietnam, in both urban and rural areas, even people who own cars still own motorbikes.
Next, Mr. Hung said that there needs to be a training system on traffic safety skills and knowledge for motorcyclists because this is where the awareness of traffic participants is formed.
Vietnam needs to have institutions and regulations requiring the wearing of helmets when participating in traffic by motorbike so that the authorities have the basis to impose penalties and enforce compliance.
Currently, Vietnam and some other countries have relatively complete regulations on traffic safety for motorcyclists, but they are still lacking.
The Law on Road Traffic Safety (effective from January 1, 2025) has many new points, but there are no regulations on driving licenses for drivers of vehicles with an engine capacity of less than 50cc.
However, the Law also stipulates that traffic police coordinate to educate students about legal knowledge and guide them on safe motorbike driving skills.
On the other hand, the role of the police force has been strongly affirmed in the Law on Road Traffic Safety and Order.
The Ministry of Public Security is responsible to the Government for ensuring road traffic safety. This is a difficult but necessary task and will certainly produce many good and effective results in ensuring road traffic safety.
Emphasizing that, instead of having 3 levels of law enforcement as at present, from 2025 there will be a new level, which is the commune-level police, which will also contribute to controlling traffic safety and order in the area. It can be said that this is a very strong commitment of the police force in ensuring road traffic safety and order.
Mr. Khuat Viet Hung also emphasized the results achieved in handling alcohol concentration violations in Vietnam. This is a real and effective achievement, recognizing the efforts of the police force in handling violations that can be said to be the most difficult at present.
