"Strive to achieve 90%, and eventually 100%, of vehicle operators complying with alcohol concentration limits," Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha stated. He made this remark while chairing a conference on the afternoon of 6/1, which summarized traffic safety efforts for 2025 and outlined directions for 2026.

While acknowledging significant achievements in traffic safety over the past period, Ha noted that accidents and traffic congestion remain major issues. Although the number of accidents has decreased, the risk of human and property damage persists. Vietnam has a high rate and number of traffic accidents compared to regional and global standards.

The current inter-agency committee model primarily advises the Prime Minister, limiting its decision-making authority, project implementation, and enforcement tools. Many forces have been mobilized, but they have yet to meet the public's legitimate desire to "leave home and return safely."

Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha speaking on the afternoon of 6/1. Photo: Minh Khoi

Therefore, Ha emphasized the need to move "from words to action" with specific measures. Citing alarming figures for traffic accident fatalities and injuries, with some localities reporting over 14-15 deaths per 100,000 residents, Ha described these as painful statistics.

Emphasizing that human factors are the key cause, the Deputy Prime Minister stated that driver training, testing, and licensing should not only focus on vehicle operation skills but also instill a sense of responsibility and legal compliance. The Ministry of Public Security has been tasked with developing a plan for this.

Given recent accidents linked to vehicle inspection and modification, Ha urged the Ministry of Construction to conduct a comprehensive review. "Despite efforts, improvements, and adjustments to standards and regulations, they are still insufficient; clearer plans are needed," the Deputy Prime Minister said. He also requested the Ministry of Construction to research and issue safety standards for each road type, clearly defining speed limits.

Le Kim Thanh, Standing Vice Chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee, reported that Vietnam currently has 7,5 million cars and over 79 million motorbikes. In 2025, there were 18.600 traffic accidents nationwide, resulting in over 10.490 deaths and 12.300 injuries. National authorities handled 3,39 million traffic violations, collecting a total of 6.850 billion VND in fines.

Vehicle license plate auctions generated significant revenue for the state budget, exceeding 5.000 billion VND.

Major General Do Thanh Binh, Director of the Traffic Police Department. Photo: Minh Khoi

Major General Do Thanh Binh, Director of the Traffic Police Department, noted that traffic accident fatalities remain high, with an average of 28,2 deaths daily. Accidents primarily occur on national highways, communal roads, and provincial roads, while expressways account for very few incidents. The highest incidence of accidents is in the late afternoon and at night.

The regulation prohibiting vehicle operators from having alcohol in their blood or breath was implemented in 2020 as part of the Law on Prevention and Control of Harmful Effects of Alcohol and Beer. Accordingly, no one driving a car, tractor, motorbike, electric bike, bicycle, cyclos, or other vehicles is permitted to operate on the road after consuming alcohol.

This strict regulation embodies the spirit of "don't drink and drive." Previously, vehicle operators were allowed to drive if their alcohol concentration was below the permissible limit. Specifically, for motorbikes, this limit was 50 milligrams per 100 milliliters of blood or 0,25 milligrams per liter of breath.

In mid-2024, the regulation imposing an absolute ban on alcohol concentration for vehicle operators was again discussed by the National Assembly during deliberations on the draft Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety. Ultimately, the National Assembly maintained the prohibition against operating road vehicles with alcohol in one's blood or breath.

By Vu Tuan