VietNamNet Bridge – The Directorate for Roads of Viet Nam (DRVN) has asked agents and transport departments across the country to remove all irrational road signs along highways by mid-August.

Road users travel along a stretch of National Highway 51-Nhon Trach in southern Dong Nai Province. All outdated speed limit signs along highways nationwide will be removed by the middle of next month. — Photo otosaigon.com

The move was made after the transport minister approved the DRVN's request to change the speed limit signs from 25, 30 and 35km per hour to 40kmph last month.

For years, speed limit signs between 25 and 35kmph were said to be slowing down traffic and frustrating drivers. Some people even complained that these were just booby traps to give drivers speeding tickets.

In the first three months of 2014, the DRVN instructed its subordinate agents to make changes to 206 traffic signs, including 66 speed limit signs and 140 signs in residential areas.

Director General of DRVN, Nguyen Van Huyen said that by the end of last month, all under-40 kmph speed limit signs along the highways had been removed.

The DRVN and its subordinate agencies are continuing to examine other road signs and would remove road signs that confused a driver.

A driver, Vuong Van Cong said that it was reasonable to remove speed limit signs specifying 25, 30 or 35 kmph along the highways.

The signals were placed to inform drivers about residential areas or crowded areas including any markets or schools ahead. Drivers would usually be doing speeds in excess of 80 kmph at that point.

"The signals remind us that we need to slow down when entering residential areas," Cong said.

But in some cases, when drivers got out of residential areas, they had to drive some distance to see a signal that told them to return to the specified speed for that road.

"If you start speeding as soon as you drive out of residential areas, you are likely to be hauled up by the police," he said.

Huyen, from the Directorate of Roads, said that removal of outdated and illogical road signs or unreasonably-positioned ones would help drivers avoid such confusing situations.

He said that the directorate and transport departments in localities across the country would strengthen communication to help drivers master traffic rules including those related to speed limits.

The speed limits for vehicles and distances among vehicles when travelling on roads are regulated in the Transport Ministry's Circular 13/2009/TT-BGTVT dated in 2009.

VNS/VNN