Draft Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety gives priority to children and vulnerable persons

The Ministry of Public Security has unveiled the draft Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety, focusing on ensuring safety for life and health of road users, especially children and vulnerable persons.

The 62-article draft law devotes a separate article to providing for the participation in road traffic by pedestrians, children, the elderly and people with disabilities, requiring everyone to pay attention to and assist these subjects.

Accordingly, vehicle operators must observe, slow down or stop to give way to pedestrians, including walkers and those traveling in a wheelchair, at not only pedestrian crossings but also places without road markings or light signals for pedestrians. Even when the amber traffic light is flashing, vehicle operators must also slow down or stop to give way to pedestrians.

Noteworthily, the draft law says that people with disabilities who meet health requirements set by the health sector would be granted driver’s licenses of a category suitable to their disability status. This regulation can be regarded as an advancement, creating conditions for people with disabilities to operate road vehicles.

In order to ensure safety for children when traveling by car, the draft emphasizes that children under 10 years of age or under 1.35 meters tall may not sit in the front-row seat next to the driver. Under-four-year children traveling on private cars must be carried in an appropriate child restraint. For older children, drivers would have to check and guide them to use seat belts.

The draft is scheduled to be passed by the National Assembly in May next year.

By: Vietnam Laws & Legal Forum