18-8-2023 (HANOI) In a move to improve road safety, the Vietnamese Ministry of Transport has put forth a proposal to ban drivers from operating vehicles continuously for more than eight hours during the day and three hours at night, as reported by local newspaper Vietnam News on Friday.
The new regulation specifies that between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. the following day, drivers must not exceed three consecutive hours of driving. Similarly, during daytime hours, the total driving time for a driver should not surpass eight hours. It is important to note that these rules are applicable to drivers of transportation vehicles.
The implementation of stricter driving time limits at night aims to address the issues of driver fatigue and excessive workload, thereby reducing the occurrence of traffic accidents, as stated by an official mentioned in the newspaper.
The Ministry emphasizes that these driving hour restrictions are designed to mitigate the risks associated with tired drivers, particularly those engaged in long-haul trucking.
Nguyen Van Quyen, President of the Vietnam Automobile Transport Association, expressed his disapproval of the new regulation, arguing that it would be impractical for long-distance transport businesses, as they would be required to hire additional drivers to ensure continuous operations. He further remarked that implementing driving time restrictions without conducting specific pilot studies would be inappropriate for inclusion in the Law.
In response, Senior Colonel Pham Viet Cong, Deputy Chief of the Office of the National Traffic Safety Committee, suggested that installing more lighting and warning systems on roads would be crucial in reducing nighttime traffic accidents.
According to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, a total of 5,928 traffic accidents occurred in the country during the first seven months of this year, resulting in 3,428 fatalities. The proposed driving time restrictions seek to curb these alarming statistics and promote safer road conditions for all motorists.
