On October 30, 2002, at its October 2002 regular meeting, the Government heard the Minister of Communications and Transport, who is also Chairman of the National Committee for Traffic Safety, reporting on traffic accidents and congestion as well as immediate and basic solutions to overcome this situation. After the discussion, the Government resolved as follows:

Traffic accidents and congestion cause serious human loss and property damage to the State and people, becoming a burning problem which requires our Party and State, first of all, the Government, the ministries, functional agencies as well as Party Committees and local administrations of all levels to concentrate their leadership and direction on solving it step by step and effectively. The increase of traffic accidents and congestion has been attributed to many causes, but mainly to the shortcomings and weaknesses in the State management and the poor observance of traffic order and safety legislation by people joining in traffic.

In order to overcome the above-said weaknesses, synchronous and resolute measures must be taken to attain the target of checking, then gradually reducing the growth rate of land road traffic accidents and urban traffic congestion, first of all, in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other cities and towns, the Government requests the ministries and the provincial/municipal People�s Committees to immediately apply the following measures:

1. The Ministry of Communications and Transport shall supplement, finalize and submit to the Government in December 2002 the strategies and plannings for the development of transport infrastructure and land-road traffic means, especially in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other cities and towns, which must clearly state the appropriate plans for land-road traffic means development along the direction of giving priority to the development of mass transit and minimizing personal transport means.

2. The ministries, the functional branches and the provincial/municipal People�s Committees shall have to make intensive investment and promulgate preferential policies so as to quickly develop mass transit system in urban centers, first of all, to boost bus development; Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other cities and towns with high population density must set up public-utility enterprises fully capable of performing the mass transit tasks; to promulgate specific policies aiming to encourage all economic sectors to participate in mass transit under plannings and encourage and mobilize people to use mass transit means; agencies, units and enterprises, which have a large number of officials and employees and are located in areas where buses are not available, shall have to arrange cars for conveyance of their staff.

To give priority to the allocation of investment capital for the development of urban traffic infrastructure, first of all, the building of traffic junctions, belt roads and cross-roads; to soon elaborate plans for the development of mass transit means capable of transporting large numbers of passengers in cities such as trams, metro...

In parallel with the development of mass transit system and investment in urban traffic infrastructure development, it is necessary to urgently promulgate synchronous solutions with a view to curbing the increase in the number of motorcycles and mopeds, then proceeding to gradually reduce the number of motorcycles and mopeds operating in the inner areas of cities and towns.

The National Committee for Traffic Safety shall coordinate with the People�s Committees of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in promulgating the roadmap as well as strict and appropriate measures to check to the utmost the increase in the number of motorcycles and mopeds, including the concrete consideration of the temporary cessation of registration of new motorcycles and mopeds and the ban of circulation of motorcycles and mopeds on certain roads, in areas and at time as prescribed in order to limit traffic congestion.

3. To resolutely restore order and discipline in the observance of traffic order and safety legislation. The Ministry of Public Security shall concentrate its direction and forces on traffic guide and direction; apply coercive measures to ensure the enforcement of traffic order and safety legislation, first of all, focusing on inspecting and strictly handling those who ride motorcycles without driving licenses, resolutely putting an end to the situation of riding motorcycles without driving licenses; and at the same time, enhance the patrol, inspection and strict handling of violations committed by motorcycle and moped riders such as: riding while being under the prescribed age, involving in illegal races, driving beyond the speed limit, zigzagging or weaving their ways�

In order to limit brain injuries caused by traffic accidents, traffic police shall have to resolutely sanction those who ride or sit on motorcycles and mopeds without wearing clash helmets while riding on road sections where helmet wearing is compulsory. The Ministry of Communications and Transport shall have to review and adjust the list of road sections where clash helmet wearing is compulsory for motorcycle and moped riders.

The Ministry of Communications and Transport shall have to regularly inspect the driver-training establishments as well as tests for granting of driving licenses, resolutely withdraw training permits of driver-training establishments which fail to satisfy the prescribed conditions, and suspend the operation of, and strictly handle, driving-test councils breaking regulations as well as testers committing negative acts; to promulgate regulations on the re-inspection and change of driving licenses under an appropriate roadmap, not causing troubles to people.

The Ministry of Public Security shall assume the prime responsibility and coordinate with the Ministry of Communications and Transport in promulgating the regulations on marking the number of violations of the Land-Road Traffic Law on current driving licenses so as to manage drivers of land-road motorized vehicles (including motorcycle riders) and direct the assignment of traffic police officers to work as testers joining in the communication and transport branch�s test councils for the granting of driving licenses.

The Ministry of Education and Training shall have to direct the management and education of pupils in the observance of traffic order and safety legislation, putting an end to the situation of under-age pupils going to schools by motorcycle or moped; to continue expanding the education on traffic order and safety legislation in schools nationwide.

4. The Ministry of Public Security shall enhance the inspection and strictly handle automobiles which fail to meet the technical safety requirements but still run on roads, according to law provisions.

The Ministry of Communications and Transport shall review and strictly manage the work of automobile registration and strictly handle registrars committing negative acts; to propose to the Government the policies of support for automobile owners who well implement the Government�s Decree No. 92/2001/ND-CP of December 11, 2001 on the conditions for automobile transportation business.

5. When registering motorcycles and mopeds, the registration applicants shall have to produce their driving licenses, buy insurance for civil liability of motorized vehicles� owners and pay assorted charges and fees as prescribed. The Ministry of Public Security shall guide the implementation of this regulation.

The Ministry of Finance shall study, amend and supplement the regulations and charge rates, increasing the levels of compulsory insurance for civil liability of motorized vehicles� owners and the collection levels of charges for registration and circulation of motorcycles and mopeds in cities and towns; and at the same time adopt policies of financial support for the development of mass transit by bus and investment in the construction of urban traffic infrastructure.

6. The Ministry of Public Security shall submit to the Government the plans on increasing payroll and equipment for traffic police and propose policies on the training and preferential treatment of traffic police directly performing the task of ensuring traffic order and safety; to regularly educate traffic police in order to raise their responsibility, quality and professional capability; to make timely commendation in parallel with strict handling of officers and soldiers committing negative acts while on duty.

7. The Ministry of Culture and Information shall assume the prime responsibility and coordinate with the concerned agencies in organizing the direction and mobilization of central and local mass media, first of all Nhan Dan newspaper, Vietnam Television and Radio Voice of Vietnam,� to participate in the dissemination and education of the observance of traffic order and safety legislation among people of all strata and the implementation of measures stated in this Resolution of the Government.

8. The concerned ministries and agencies, as well as the provincial/municipal People�s Committees shall, within the scope of their responsibilities and powers, have to draw up programs and plans so as to effectively realize the above-said solutions, considering it a regular and key political task.

The provincial/municipal People�s Committees shall have to direct the clearance of illegally occupied pavements, roadbeds and traffic safety corridors in their localities.

9. The National Committee for Traffic Safety shall have to urge and inspect the implementation of this Resolution, and monthly, report the implementation results to the Prime Minister.

To request the Party Politburo to direct the Party Committees of various levels to issue resolutions on enhancing the leadership over the work of ensuring traffic order and safety in localities.

On behalf of the Government
Prime Minister
PHAN VAN KHAI