Positive effects from Decree 100

The traffic police of Bien Hoa City Police were c​hecking the alcohol concentration of road drivers on Vo Thi Sau Street (Bien Hoa City).

Decree 100 has emerged as a typical example in law construction and enforcement, with its immediate, direct and rapid effect on the people's awareness of observing the traffic law; contributing to reducing traffic accidents, especially those caused by drivers with consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Numerous violations were sanctioned

Decree 100, effective from January 1, 2020, replaces the Government's Decree No. 46/2016/ND-CP dated May 26, 2016, stipulating penalties for administrative violations in the road and railway traffic (hereinafter referred to as Decree 46). It is noteworthy that Decree 100 has sharply increased its sanctions on alcohol concentration violations; specifically, increasing the maximum fine for car drivers with alcohol content up to 30-40 million VND, depriving rights to use a driver's license from 22-24 months (Decree 46 only regulates the fine from 16-18 VND million and deprivation of driving license for 4-6 months), etc.

In addition, Decree 100 introduces new regulations on penalties for motorcyclists whose blood or breath alcohol content does not exceed 50mg/ 100ml of blood or 0.25mg/ liter of breath will be subject to deprivation of driving license for 10-12 months and a fine of 2-3 million VND (previously, no fine and deprivation of driving license was applied). Decree 100 also imposes punishments on violations of alcohol regulations on cyclists and rudimentary vehicles. Accordingly, rudimentary vehicle drivers may be fined 400-600 thousand VND. That is, except for pedestrians, all drivers of a road or railway vehicle, once consuming alcoholic beverages, are not allowed to drive.

Major General Nguyen Duy Ngoc, Deputy Minister of Public Security, said that preventing drivers with blood or breath alcohol content from involving in traffic to minimize accidents is always the top priority in the issue of sanctioning traffic violations in 2020 by the police force. This issuance has experienced a great deal of approval and support from the public.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Public Security directs the Traffic Police Department to mobilize forces, vehicles, and professional technical equipment and actively coordinate with relevant units to handle cases of motorcyclists and car drivers with blood or breathe alcohol content on road traffic routes. The results show that the number of violations of alcohol regulations nationwide is at high level, with more than 185,000 cases detected and processed compared to nearly 2.6 thousand cases in 2019.

In Dong Nai, the provincial police said, implementing the Prime Minister's Directive No. 03/CT-TTg dated January 16, 2020 on strengthening implementation of the Law on Prevention and Control of Harms of Liquor and Beer Abuse, the functional forces has discovered nearly 5 thousand violations, fined over 18 billion VND and applied deprivation of the driver's license for more than three thousand cases. The police establishments with high results of handling include Nhon Trach (more than 1,000 cases), Long Khanh (more than 800 cases), Trang Bom (more than 760 cases), Bien Hoa (nearly 600 cases), and Long Thanh (nearly 400 cases).

Of the total of nearly 5 violating vehicles, motorcyclists account for mainly 97% and car drivers account for 3%. Alcohol content violations occur in the inner city area with over 44% between 18-24 hours a day. In particular, nearly 2 thousand cases were fined with the highest level of 0.4mg/ liter of breath or more. This shows that, despite heavy punishment, numerous people still consume a great deal of alcoholic drinks before engaging in traffic.

Positive contribution to reducing traffic accidents

There are many causes of traffic accidents, according to statistics of the authorities, but the causes related to alcoholic drinks always account for a large number and result in really heavy consequences. Therefore, in order to ensure the health and life of ourselves and everyone around, it is advisable not to use alcoholic beverages when participating in traffic. Compliance with the law means joining hands in establishing traffic culture and reducing traffic accidents and pains brought by traffic accidents to each family and the society.

Standing Deputy Prime Minister of the Government, Chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee Truong Hoa Binh assessed that Decree 100 is a highlight in the last term of the Government. In 2020, traffic safety in the country experiences the highest decline in the past 10 years with the number of cases falling by over 18%, the number of injuries decreased by nearly 20% and for the first time, the number of the deaths in traffic accidents fell below 7,000.

According to the Deputy Prime Minister, with this result, besides the drastic direction and participation of the whole political system, the completion of the traffic safety institution plays an important role. The National Assembly enacted the Law on Prevention and Control of Harms of Liquor and Beer Abuse. Shortly thereafter, the Government issued Decree 100 on sanctioning of administrative violations in the road and railway traffic; in particular, executing comprehensive adjustment and raising sanctions to sanction violations likely to cause traffic accidents, especially violations of alcohol concentration.

“The issuance of Decree 100 and implementation of the functional forces to handle violations with heavy fines have made a clear change in ensuring traffic order and safety, so it is necessary to continue to be more determined in practice. The goal is to create awareness of not driving once consuming alcoholic drinks, but using public transport instead. Hence, it is expected to continuously reduce traffic accidents related to alcohol content violations”, emphasized Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh.

Colonel Le Quang Nhan, Deputy Director of the Provincial Public Security advised, the drastic handling of alcohol concentration violations contributing to raising awareness of observing regulations on traffic order and safety by traffic participants has contributed to reducing accidents in recent years. In 2020, the whole province has recorded its traffic accidents with only 296 cases, including 216 deaths and 173 injuries; decreasing by 33 cases, reducing by 28 deaths and 24 injuries compared to the same period in 2019.

According to Colonel Le Quang Nhan, the inspection and handling of alcohol content violations rigorously directed by the Ministry of Public Security, the Provincial Party Committee, and the Provincial People's Committee and supported by the people is a great motivation for the provincial police officers and staff to raise their sense of responsibility in performing their tasks.

“In the coming time, the Provincial Police is expected to continue to effectively implement the control and handling of drivers of road motor vehicles with alcohol concentration violations; and carry on making the inspection and sanctioning of alcohol content violations a regular task in the patrol and traffic control at traffic police units; hence, contributing to raising awareness of people in traffic and preventing traffic accidents”, affirmed Colonel Le Quang Nhan.

Le Thu