Ignore the rules
Every day, Ms. NTT in Tan Tien commune (Gia Loc) often rides her motorbike from home to Nua market (Thanh Ha) to sell noodles. Lang ferry connecting An Phuong commune (Thanh Ha) and Binh Lang commune (Tu Ky) is very familiar to Ms. T. Thanks to this ferry, Ms. T. has shortened her journey by dozens of kilometers. Each operation from getting on the ferry to turning around is performed skillfully by Ms. T., proving that she has traveled a lot. Ms. T. also prepares small change to pay for the ticket. "Compared to the passenger ferries around here, Lang ferry is one of the biggest ferries, even small trucks can pass through", Ms. T. said. When asked about wearing a life jacket, Ms. T. said: "The life jacket is on the ferry, anyone who wants to wear it can wear it. But why wear it, it only takes a few minutes to get to the destination by ferry, putting it on and then taking it off, wasting time".
Wearing a life jacket when crossing a ferry is a mandatory regulation, but not everyone follows it. The situation of passengers ignoring the rule of not wearing a life jacket when crossing a ferry is still happening in many places. Only when the authorities check will it be strictly implemented. According to people with a lot of experience with rivers, if you have a water accident without being equipped with a life jacket, drowning is very likely to happen. Especially during storms, accidents can happen at any time.
Although not allowed to carry cars, on the morning of May 23, the single-blade ferry at Sy ferry terminal (Thanh Ha) still brazenly carried trucks. Carrying cars across the river without a license violates regulations on waterway traffic safety, potentially posing a risk to the safety of people and vehicles when crossing the river. If we do so just for a little profit, it is very dangerous.
Resolutely handle violations
Kinh Mon River is a large river with a deep riverbed. The single-blade ferry at Bai Mac ferry in Thuong Quan commune (Kinh Mon) crosses the river every day to pick up and drop off passengers from both sides of Thuong Quan commune, with hundreds of passengers. Mr. Bui Van Son, the ferry driver, said that during the rainy season, there are many heavy rains, strong winds, and big waves, making it difficult for watercraft to travel. Heavy rain can cause riverbank erosion, posing many dangers. Therefore, before the rainy season, Mr. Son often prepares lifebuoys, life-saving equipment, and life-saving equipment... "We have signed a commitment with the traffic police to comply with inland waterway traffic laws," Mr. Son said.
To proactively ensure inland waterway traffic safety during the 2024 storm season, the Waterway Traffic Police Team, under the Traffic Police Department (Hai Duong Provincial Police) has proactively deployed many measures. Along with strengthening the dissemination of legal regulations on inland waterway traffic safety, measures to respond to storms and floods; organizing the signing of commitments with vehicle owners, the traffic police force has increased patrols, controls, and strictly handled violations. From the beginning of the year to mid-May, the authorities have sanctioned 196 violations with a total fine of nearly 500 million VND.
Currently, the province has 59 inland waterway ports and 65 vehicles in operation, many of which play an important role in trade. In 2023 and the first 4 months of 2024, there were 2 waterway traffic accidents in the province, causing no human casualties.
The nature of waterway accidents is very catastrophic and unpredictable, so entering the peak of the storm season in 2024, authorities need to increase inspections and resolutely handle violations; boat and ferry owners, vehicle owners, and passengers need to raise awareness and strictly comply with traffic regulations to have safe boat trips.
According to Article 17, Decree 139/2021/ND-CP of the Government regulating administrative sanctions for violations in the field of inland waterway traffic, the act of exploiting and using a vehicle that is not in accordance with its registration will be subject to a fine of VND 1,000,000 to VND 3,000,000 for a non-motorized vehicle with a total tonnage of up to 15 tons or a capacity of up to 12 people, a motorized vehicle with a total main engine capacity of less than 5 horsepower or a capacity of less than 5 people; A fine of VND 3,000,000 to VND 5,000,000 for a motorized vehicle with a total main engine capacity of 5 to 15 horsepower or a capacity of 5 to 12 people. Fine from 5,000,000 VND to 7,000,000 VND for non-motorized vehicles with a total tonnage of over 15 tons to under 250 tons or a capacity of over 12 people to under 50 people, motorized vehicles with a total main engine capacity of over 15 horsepower to 135 horsepower or a capacity of over 12 people to 50 people.
Article 16, violating regulations on safety equipment and tools of vehicles, fine from 500,000 VND to 1,000,000 VND for not equipping or not equipping enough life jackets or personal life-saving buoyancy devices as prescribed, the fine is calculated for each life jacket or personal life-saving buoyancy device.
Clause 3, Article 3, Decree 139/2021/ND-CP stipulates a fine of VND 1,000,000 to VND 2,000,000 for people who do not wear life jackets or do not carry personal life-saving flotation devices when participating in traffic on passenger vehicles across rivers (boats, ferries, etc.)
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