In 2022, Nguyen Hai Tan is one of thousands of people suffering from alcohol use while driving, which has directly claimed the lives of at least 241 victims on the roads. This figure does not include those who die from accidents from other causes, but indirectly related to alcohol content.
Meanwhile, in the days before, during and following the 2023 Lunar New Year, it is not difficult to see that the parking lot in front of the pubs is empty. There’s no shortage of reasons for partying, and it’s fun to meet, often without alcohol. By the time the shop closed, almost all of these vehicles had already been driven home.
“It’s very haunting when I go out on this occasion, the traffic is blocked but unfortunately I get hit by a drunk man and I lose the New Year,” said Trung Hieu (in Hoang Mai district, Hanoi) and said he had read at least 5 news regarding alcohol-related accidents in the last month of the year.
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| Police check the alcohol content of drivers on the street in Hanoi on the 2nd of Tet. Photo: Red light. |
At the same time, alcohol concentration checkpoints were displayed all over the streets and streets of the country, even on New Year’s Eve or the morning of the first day of the New Year. According to a leader of the Traffic Police Department, the situation of driving with an alcohol content “has reached an alarming level”.
At an alcohol test station on Phan Dinh Phung street on the night of the 2nd day of the Lunar New Year, out of regarding 150 controlled cars, 4 drivers were found to have used alcohol. The reasons given were all centered around “going to celebrate Tet, it’s hard to refuse an invitation”.
When reasons are given and not accepted, they have enough measures in the hope of not incurring penalties from calling due to multiple relationships, walking away, not complying with checks or even shouting, protesting. force on duty.
“It takes a lot of patience, it’s difficult for ordinary people to calm down when they are psychologically punished,” said a traffic police officer at the Y2/141 working group as soon as a case signed a violation record, more than later. one hour resolutely demanded.
7,726 drivers with alcohol violations were fined during the past 7 days of the Lunar New Year holiday, according to statistics from the Traffic Police Department. Over the same period, this number increased 7 times (6,620 cases). If we remove the impact factor of the Covid-19 epidemic last year, this is still considered a “very high” number compared to previous Tet holidays.
“We have been instructed to do it drastically, not afraid of the concept of being afraid of storms all year long,” said Colonel Nguyen Quang Nhat (Head of the Department of Guidance for Propaganda, Investigation and Handling of Traffic Accidents, Traffic Police Department) and said the guiding spirit of the Ministry of Public Security is to absolutely not allow interference, please ignore violations.
The representative of the Traffic Police Department expects that drastic handling even at off-peak occasions will build a culture of “drink, don’t drive” in the community.
“Just like we build a helmet-wearing culture, anyone who rides a motorbike without wearing a hat will find himself lost,” Nhat said, as this is a key factor because “the traffic police took action to punish them even if they decided not to. paralysis is only probabilistic.”
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| The Vios driver with an alcohol concentration exceeding the threshold level (0.404 mg/l of breathing air) hit 8 people and was injured on the 29th of Tet. Photo: D.H. |
During the last Tet holiday, when sitting on a tray of rice with relatives, Nguyen Hai Tan as a habit prevented people who would drive from using alcohol. Everyone listened to him.
On New Year’s Eve, while waiting for the internship schedule, Tan will go with his brother to do the same job that his father still does when he is alive – installing and renting radio speakers for events – both to cover his life, and also to have a job. “running back and forth”.
“After graduating from college, I will study to go to university. After the pain, you must be much stronger,” the 22-year-old said in front of his parents’ altar.
