At 0:15 am on November 3, 2024, N.N.Q, born in 1997, residing in Hoan Kiem district in Hanoi, was waiting at a traffic light at Tran Hung Dao – Ba Trieu when a group of "monster drivers" hit her, killing her on the spot.

Hoan Kiem District Police on November 5 said they have launched prosecution proceedings against 10 individuals involved in the illegal racing that killed the 27-year-old woman.

Most of the motorcyclists are aged 16-17, and in high school. Under current laws, only persons aged full 18 or older are allowed to drive large displacement motorcycles. 

The accident that occurred with Q is just one of many cases involving teenagers gathering, racing, and causing chaos on the streets across the country.

On November 6, Nghia Dan District Police in Nghe An province detained seven teenagers to investigate a crime of ‘disturbing public disorder’.

Prior to that, at October 29 evening, 25 individuals, with swords and pig-stabbing knives, divided into two groups, riding motorbikes without helmets, revving engines and weaving on Ho Chi Minh Road (the section that goes through Nghia Son commune in Nghia Dan district).

When meeting people on the way, the motorcyclists deliberately approached them and picked quarrels with them, then used weapons to attack and smash vehicles.

On November 2, Hai Duong City Police detained and took legal proceedings against three individuals – Nguyen Quang Anh (born 2008), Nguyen Quoc Binh (2007) and Mai Xuan Doan (2005) – from Gia Loc district for ‘disturbing and causing public disorder’, and ‘appropriating assets’.

Meanwhile, three other defendants were prosecuted for the same two crimes, including Vu Van Thang (2005), Pham Van Trung (2005) and Nguyen Minh Duc (2008).

According to the investigation agency, on July 21 evening, six defendants and 40 other individuals, aged 14-18, bringing a murder weapon, were seen running a motorbike race, driving motorbikes at high speed, weaving through streets and honking continuously on all the streets they drove through. 

The individuals, on their way, used a weapon to attack two young men in Thanh Binh ward in Hai Duong City, and then robbed an Iphone 12 Promax from a victim.

In Da Nang City, on October 24, Lien Chieu district police issued a decision on prosecuting 20 defendants participating in a dogfight that occurred in front of Da Nang Bus Station for ‘disturbing and causing public disorder’.

The dogfight occurred following provocative comments on social networks, which raised conflicts between two groups of people. As a result, they used murder weapons, including knives, self-made swords and beer bottles to fight each other. Four of them were teenagers aged below 16.

Who is to blame?

According to Colonel Nguyen Quang Nhat from Traffic Police Department, many parents let their children drive motorbikes though they are still school-age.

The traffic police force has handled administrative cases with a heavy hand. In cases where motorbike drivers are underage and cause accidents and serious consequences, they will face criminal proceedings.

While emphasizing that violators must take responsibility for their behaviors, Nhat blamed this on poor parenting skills.

“Some parents and guardians do not care about their children. They don’t know how their children act in traffic. They leave everything to the society’s and the police’s discretion,” Nhat said.

The police have found that many parents don’t manage their children’s time and working and learning schedules, so they are not aware that their children gather with bad people and participate in motorbike racing, causing public disorder. There are races that last all night long.

The situation has become so serious that motorbike racing has been put into discussion at the ongoing National Assembly session.

Nguyen Thi Viet Nga, a National Assembly Deputy from Hai Duong, expressed her worry about the increase in number of motorbike racing cases that cause traffic accidents despite strict regulations.

While emphasizing that violators are mostly teenagers and young people, Nga said families have to take responsibility for this, and solutions must originate from parents and family members.

"If parents and guardians raise their awareness and responsibility, the problem will no longer exist," Nga said.

Ta Van Hoa, deputy chair of the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture and Education, said violators must be strictly punished, and their motorbikes must be seized in order to deter them. In addition, it is necessary to place blame on those who give motorbikes to the violators.

Vu Diep