Remorse plan a failure

Traffic inspectors handle a taxi driver violating traffic regulations in Giai Phong Road in Ha Noi. – VNA/VNS Photo The Duyet

HA NOI – Police in Ha Noi have received feedback from only 1.5 per cent of traffic violation notices sent out in the first eight months of this year, said Colonel Nguyen Duy Ngoc.

The Public Security Ministry issued a circular in 2010 that orders police offices in all localities to send out a list of all traffic law breakers to their workplace, school or residence.

Employers, teachers or the local residential authority are supposed to discipline traffic law breakers and send feedback to the police, though around 84,000 out of 86,000 violation notices have been neglected so far this year.

Chief Secretariat of the National Traffic Safety Committee Than Van Thanh, said this method was ineffective because it requested employers and teachers to make offenders show remorse.

So far this year, the police have fined over 729,000 traffic law breakers a total of VND173 billion (US$8.3 million). Colonel Tran Thuy, deputy director of Ha Noi Police Department, said that traffic jams and accidents have reduced thanks to issuing higher fines, however, local police are failing to bring street vendors who encroach on pavements under control.

Currently, offenders have to pay VND100,000-200,000 ($5-10) for parking in an illegal space and VND2-6 million ($96-288) for driving while drunk under the Government's Decree No 34.

In the future, police will issue even stricter fines to those who drive in the wrong lane, drive while drunk, or park in an illegal space. — VNS