Increased measures are being taken to detect and penalize the drivers of trucks and coaches who abuse drugs and alcohol while driving, following deadly accidents recently caused by such drivers, reported Tuoi Tre Online newspaper.

A traffic police officer checks a driver whether he has abused alcohol or not while driving on the National Highway 1A section passing through the outlying district of Thu Thua in the southern province of Long An

HCMC police patrol bus stations

The HCMC Department of Transport has pledged to closely coordinate with transport police units to patrol interprovincial coach stations to check for the possible abuse of alcohol and drugs among the drivers there.

This would lower the risk of traffic accidents due to drivers falling asleep at the wheel. Before leaving the bus stations, drivers have to show police officers their driving licenses, heath certificates and certificates for coach driving.

Business transport firms are responsible for compiling lists of drivers that are later provided to the operators of coach stations and police officers.

If these drivers are found to have consumed alcoholic drinks or drugs, they are subject to fines and may lose their driving licenses.

Tran Quang Lam, deputy director of the HCMC Transport Department, was quoted by the newspaper as saying that police officers were also increasing their patrols on road routes that act as gateways to the city. The aim is to limit the transport of excessive numbers of passengers and to ensure traffic order.

Hanoi launches health tests for drivers

The Hanoi Department of Transport has required transport business operators to launch health checks on their drivers at qualified healthcare facilities.

Local drivers will be tested for four types of stimulant drugs: morphine/heroin, amphetamines, methamphetamines and marijuana. The checks must be conducted by late February.

Transport business operators have been told to maintain strict regulations on transport business conditions, especially those on the transportation of dangerous, highly flammable and explosive goods and the avoidance of passenger and cargo transport exceeding their permissible limits.

Also, they have to increasingly monitor and supervise the operations of transport modes and drivers using a GPS system so that they can promptly respond to drivers’ violations and manage them strictly.

Traffic police units will reportedly be conducting similar activities in many other localities such as the southern provinces of Long An, An Giang and Vinh Long.

On Monday, eight people died and five others were severely injured after a truck ploughed into a group of cemetery-goers who were walking along a highway in the northern province of Hai Duong. Earlier this month, four people died and 18 others were injured in Long An after a truck slammed into dozens of motorcycle riders waiting for the green light at an intersection. Both drivers were later found to have been intoxicated with heroin.

SGT