Amidst the bustling traffic of Vietnam's major cities, it is common to witness scenes that make passersby's hearts skip a beat. A woman, holding a small child with one hand, grips the throttle with the other, her eyes fixed on her phone screen. In one instance, a woman transported three children on her motorcycle, her gaze glued to her phone instead of the road.
It is difficult to comprehend what motivates a mother to nonchalantly operate a motorcycle carrying three children with one hand, while the other is busy typing on her phone, eyes fixed on the screen instead of watching the road.
Even a small pothole, a sudden brake by a vehicle ahead, or a moment of imbalance could lead to severe consequences. If an incident occurs with eyes off the road and one hand unable to react, the motorcycle will inevitably fall. For a child's delicate body, any traffic collision, no matter how minor, is overwhelming. Children's lives are being gambled with due to the selfishness and irresponsibility of adults.
No excuse of busyness or urgency can justify this act of indirect manslaughter. No call, text message, or social media notification holds greater value than a child's life.
On 1/7, a woman on an electric bike carrying two small children suddenly swerved from the roadside across the path of two other motorcycles to change direction, on road 396, Cat Duong, Quang Hung, Hung Yen.
Beyond the problem of driving while using a phone, the reckless driving style of some adults, who turn wherever they please, is also a terrifying concern. Carrying children and casually swerving from the sidewalk across multiple lanes to cross the road is an act of extreme irresponsibility. These individuals participate in traffic with a selfish mindset, believing "if I turn, others must avoid me".
They forget that large vehicles like oto and trucks have deadly blind spots and cannot stop immediately. A dangerous sudden turn not only puts the driver at risk but also deprives innocent children sitting behind of their right to safety. When an accident occurs, their children suffer the greatest physical pain, while other drivers bear the legal consequences and psychological torment. That is an injustice!
The harm extends beyond accidents. Children are like blank slates; daily, sitting on vehicles, they witness adults running red lights, riding on sidewalks, cutting off other vehicles, or using phones while driving. They will consequently view these behaviors as normal. We demand a future generation with civilized traffic awareness, yet we ourselves are sowing seeds of unconscious behavior every day.
Therefore, please put down your phone, use your turn signal and observe when turning, and drive with the responsibility of an adult. Do not let belated regret be paid for with the blood and tears of innocent children.
Nga Vy, reader
