Driving a vehicle with an alcohol concentration is a dangerous act, a crime

On the afternoon of January 6, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha - Chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC) - chaired a conference to summarize the work of ensuring traffic order and safety (TTATGT) in 2025, directions and tasks in 2026, connecting online to 34 provinces and cities nationwide.

Concluding the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha emphasized that ensuring traffic safety cannot stop at general exchanges but must shift from speaking to doing, specific actions, clearly defining immediately the work that can be done and the need for long-term calculations, associated with the requirement to build stronger mechanisms and organizational models.

Traffic safety indicators have tended to decrease every year, but the absolute number of deaths and injuries is still at a very worrying level. Some localities have a sad number of deaths exceeding 14-15 people/100,000 people.

Commenting on many recent accidents related to both vehicle inspection and conversion, the Deputy Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Construction to comprehensively review the inspection and assessment of vehicle technical safety.

"Although efforts have been made to improve and adjust standards and regulations, it is still not enough, there needs to be a clearer plan," said the Deputy Prime Minister.

Regarding infrastructure, the Government leader emphasized that the problem of black spots and cross-section openners, especially between railways and roads, has been pointed out for many years, and is currently only about 70% handled. The Deputy Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Construction and the Ministry of Finance to set a target of handling 100% of these direct causes by 2026.

For national highways, provincial roads and rural roads, the Ministry of Construction studies and issues safety standards for each type of road, clearly defines speed, organizes intersections, and does not consider rural roads as pedestrian-only roads. The review must be completed in the second quarter of 2026.

At the same time, the Ministry of Construction must change its approach in urban design and transport infrastructure, taking safety as the central criterion; prioritizing the development of public transport and green transport types.

Organize infrastructure in the direction of separating vehicles with different speeds, ensuring that each type of road and each type of vehicle meets technical safety standards, thereby reducing traffic conflicts and accidents.

The Deputy Prime Minister assigned the Ministry of Public Security to preside over the campaign to control means of passenger and cargo transportation; clarify the causes of violations from drivers, business owners, vehicles, control work and infrastructure conditions, including the lack of rest stops and logistics on long routes.

The Ministry of Education and Training will develop a specific traffic law education program in schools; combine families - schools; principals are responsible for any violations. Students riding electric bicycles and motorbikes must be educated and guided in both theory and practice.

The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the control of alcohol concentration, considering the act of driving a vehicle when there is an alcohol concentration as a dangerous act, a crime; requested to strive for 90%, to reach 100% of drivers who do not violate.

Regarding the target of reducing traffic accidents in 2026, the Deputy Prime Minister requested localities to register using qualitative indicators; reduce at least 50% compared to 2025; localities that have reduced 50% must set higher targets.

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