Maintaining a zero alcohol level for drivers is essential.

In a document explaining some new contents of the draft Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety recently, the Ministry of Public Security clearly stated its viewpoint of "reserving the regulation on zero alcohol concentration when driving a vehicle".

According to a survey, Vietnam has the second highest alcohol consumption in Southeast Asia, 10th in Asia and 29th in the world. The Ministry of Public Security said this rate is "alarming". In more than 50% of murder cases; public disorder; rape; violations of road traffic regulations, the offenders used alcohol before committing the crime. Therefore, strict control of alcohol concentration helps ensure traffic safety and social order.

In addition, the regulation of zero alcohol concentration will help drivers avoid the situation of "being forced to drink alcohol" when Vietnamese culture is lenient. "If there is a limit, drivers may be forced to drink. Alcoholic beverages are addictive, once you start drinking, it is not easy to stop, and when you are drunk, it will be difficult to remember what the law stipulates," the document stated.

According to the Ministry of Public Security, the traffic awareness of a part of the population is currently not good, they disregard, intentionally violate, and even challenge the authorities when being checked and handled. This can "take the lives of many people", so the law needs to be strict.

Traffic conditions in Vietnam are also very different from other countries. In developed countries, cars drive in lanes and at appropriate distances according to speed. This allows drivers about 0.5 seconds to recognize an emergency situation, and another 0.5 seconds to react. Thus, if a driver violates the law and causes an accident, it also limits multiple accidents.

To achieve this condition, a car traveling at 40 km/h would have a distance of more than 22 m between the two cars. This is "unimaginable in Vietnam", where cars are only a few meters apart when traveling at 40 km/h. "Traffic on the roads in Vietnam requires drivers to remain alert and react much faster if an unexpected situation occurs," the Ministry of Public Security said.

According to the report, from June 2022 to December 2023, the number of deaths and injuries due to road traffic accidents related to alcohol and beer accounted for 20%. From 2018 to 2023, the total number of victims coming to the emergency room and receiving treatment due to road traffic accidents was 2.74 million, of which the number of victims related to alcohol and beer was more than 425,000.

The Ministry of Public Security said that the control of alcohol concentration violations for drivers is being very effective. In 2023, traffic accidents related to alcohol use will decrease by 25%, the number of deaths will decrease by 50% and the number of injuries will decrease by 22% compared to 2022.

For the above reasons, the Ministry of Public Security believes that it is necessary to continue to inherit the provisions of the Law on Prevention and Control of Harmful Effects of Alcohol and Beer, which absolutely prohibits people with alcohol concentration from driving vehicles in order to have strict sanctions. After awareness and traffic culture are well formed, the authorities can study and adjust accordingly.

In November 2023, when the National Assembly discussed the draft Law on Road Traffic Safety, the regulation on penalties for drivers with alcohol concentration caused mixed opinions. Many delegates said that the current absolute ban on people with alcohol concentration driving is not appropriate and that a limit should be designed to set the penalty level.

Some opinions in the National Defense and Security Committee also suggested considering an absolute ban on alcohol concentration when driving because it is "too strict and not really suitable for the culture, customs and habits of a part of the Vietnamese people". These members suggested referring to international experience and regulating alcohol concentration at appropriate levels for each type of vehicle; ensuring consistency with the provisions of the Penal Code.

The draft Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety is expected to be considered and approved by the National Assembly at the mid-2024 session.