People take a driving test at an automobile testing centre in Hà Nội. — Photo kenh14.vn

HÀ NỘI — Plans to monitor driving tests with CCTV cameras may be put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Việt Nam Directorate for Roads (DRVN) has proposed the Ministry of Transport postpone the use of surveillance cameras to monitor tests until early August due to the impact of coronavirus.

In the Circular No28/2019 issued last December, the DRVN announced the scheme to improve the transparency of driving tests and reduce the opportunities for fraud.

Surveillance cameras would be installed in the vehicles to monitor tests and the amount of time students spend behind the wheel.

Learner drivers would be given identification codes and login accounts. They would be required to provide their photos and fingerprints for identification.

Students would have to register and take a photo when they got into the car. This would stop more experienced drivers taking the test on their behalf.

The data would be transmitted to the DRVN and would be kept for two years.

The plan should have been implemented on May 1 with testing centres required to install cameras by the end of the year.

However, the departments of transport in localities have reported that the surveillance cameras have not been installed to start the new regulations as scheduling due to social distancing policies has made it difficult.

The DRVN has proposed to extend the implementation time of the plan until August 1, so that all automobile training centres would be ready.

Lương Duyên Thống, head of the DRVN’s Division for Vehicles and Drivers Management said the surveillance cameras would help prevent skipping classes by both trainers and attendees and improve the quality of training. — VNS