It's unclear when exactly speeding violations became so common. It's easy to spot vehicles carrying passengers or goods exceeding the speed limit. Naturally, violations result in penalties from authorities. Furthermore, penalties for violations of traffic laws in general, and speeding violations in particular, are becoming increasingly severe and stricter. Yet, why are speeding violations not decreasing but actually increasing?
As an example, the Department of Transportation of Da Nang City recently released alarming figures based on data extracted from vehicle tracking devices on commercial transport vehicles. In April 2023 alone, Da Nang City had 57 vehicles on the "blacklist" for speeding violations. Notably, one vehicle violated the speed limit 149 times in a single month. The remaining vehicles had fewer violations, ranging from 6 to nearly 140 times. These figures were extracted from the vehicle tracking devices installed on the vehicles during their operation.
Once a violation occurs, the driver will be severely punished according to regulations, with fines equivalent to several months' salary. Furthermore, after such speeding violations, the driver will be suspended from driving, meaning unemployment for a certain period. So why do drivers still turn a blind eye and violate these rules?
In fact, this is not a new story, in fact, it's quite old, having been mentioned and pointed out over the years at traffic safety meetings and conferences nationwide, not just in Da Nang. And the reason remains the same: Bus drivers are constantly facing time pressure. According to current regulations at bus stations, regardless of whether the vehicle has enough passengers or not, it must depart on time. However, a fairly common situation is that buses depart with very few passengers, so after leaving the station, drivers have to circle around on the road to pick up more passengers. This causes vehicles to lose a lot of time. To compensate for this time and to arrive at the station on time to drop off passengers, drivers have to speed on empty roads, regardless of the danger to passengers, other road users, and even speeding violations.
Meanwhile, truck drivers are forced to drive as fast as possible to increase their trips and income. These are subjective errors considered a chronic problem among drivers; however, many drivers unintentionally violate traffic rules due to inadequacies in the current transportation infrastructure. Traffic signs are obscured by trees, construction sites, or even knocked down or damaged. Driving at night, in foggy or rainy weather, drivers can only control their speed based on experience. While transportation businesses and associations have voiced their concerns about this situation, many efforts to address it remain inadequate.
Regardless of the circumstances, drivers must obey traffic laws, especially speed limits. This is a prerequisite not only for ensuring traffic safety and order but also for protecting the lives and property of everyone. Therefore, to address this chronic problem, drivers, vehicle owners, and businesses must first raise their awareness of complying with the Road Traffic Law. Violations will be severely punished, including license suspension and business license revocation.
Furthermore, it is essential for relevant authorities to review the current signage system, promptly repair damaged signs, and ensure clear visibility for drivers. Additionally, for fixed-route buses, the issuance of business licenses should be based on actual demand, avoiding oversupply that leads to buses departing without passengers. Simultaneously, the public transportation system needs to be improved to effectively transport passengers to bus terminals and pick-up points, preventing passengers from boarding buses along the route instead of at terminals.
In particular, regularly inspect the installation and operation of vehicle tracking devices, ensuring that these devices are always in good working condition and provide complete information during the driver's operation; strengthen the installation of traffic cameras on roads to deter violations and provide complete images of vehicles and drivers violating traffic regulations for relevant authorities to impose penalties.
Only by correctly diagnosing the root cause can we prescribe a cure for the current problem of speeding. Relying solely on data extraction and traffic police monitoring will make it very difficult to completely eradicate this long-standing issue.
BUI THANH
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