Need to strictly handle the situation of motorbikes going in the wrong direction

A man driving a motorbike pulling a trailer going in the opposite direction on National Highway 1, through Thanh An commune, Cam Lo district - Photo: TRAN TUYEN

Many motorbikes go the wrong way every day

National Highway 1, which passes through Quang Tri province, is about 75 km long. After many days of traveling along this route, we have noticed an alarming situation. That is, the act of driving motorbikes in the wrong direction is quite common in the localities.

Present at Phong Binh commune, Gio Linh district on April 1, we observed many people calmly riding motorbikes in the opposite direction from the Gia Mon village gate to the front gate of the commune People's Committee headquarters and in the opposite direction, from the small market to the concrete road leading to Le Mon village. On this road, there are many breakfast shops, grocery stores and markets, so the number of vehicles coming and going is very high. Whenever there is a vehicle going in the opposite direction, those riding motorbikes in the right direction have to move to the mixed lane to avoid it.

In the center of Gio Linh town, in just about 1 hour, more than 10 people were riding motorbikes in the opposite direction from the intersection of 2/4 Street with Le Duan Street (National Highway 1) to enter the Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, Gio Linh District branch. A few hundred meters away, many people were riding in the opposite direction from Dong Ha - Gio Linh to fill up at the TN gas station. This gas station is located on the top of a slope, so whenever there is a vehicle coming from the opposite direction, the vehicles going in the right direction must suddenly slow down and move to the next lane to let the vehicle go against the law. Some people even drive their motorbikes in the opposite direction into the lane reserved for cars and trucks.

Mr. LVT, who lives in Gio Linh town, said: “My house is in the same direction as the gas station. If it is legal, I have to go down the hill and turn around, then at the intersection, near Cau market, I will turn around and go a little further. That takes a lot of time, so I choose to go in the opposite direction to save time.”

After many days of investigation, the reporter noted that one of the places where many people ride motorbikes in the wrong direction is at Truc Khe bridge (km750+530), in Thanh An commune, Cam Lo district. On the morning of April 2, the reporter moved in the direction of Gio Linh - Dong Ha, when he had just passed Truc Khe bridge for a few hundred meters, a person appeared in front of him driving a motorbike towing a trailer going in the wrong direction. At this time, in front of the TN grocery store, there was a car parked, so this man drove his motorbike into the middle of the crowded mixed lane. To avoid the motorbike pulling the trailer going in the wrong direction, the vehicles going in the right lane and on the right road had to move to the outermost lane reserved for cars and passenger vans. This person continued to drive the vehicle in the wrong direction for quite a long distance before turning left to enter a concrete branch road.

Also at this location, every day from 5-7pm, there are dozens of motorbikes going in the opposite direction in the direction of Gio Linh - Dong Ha. This is at dusk, the daylight is very weak while there are no street lights yet, so the headlights from the oncoming vehicles shine directly into the faces of the drivers going in the right direction. Not to mention, the drivers going in the right direction have to move to the left lane to avoid it.

High risk of accident

Because her house faces Highway 1, every day, Ms. NTH, a resident of Phong Binh Commune, Gio Linh District, sees motorbikes going the wrong way, affecting those who go the right way. According to Ms. H., on average, dozens of motorbikes go the wrong way through her gate every day. “Every morning, I get up early to go to the market to buy food for my family. In the early morning and late afternoon, adults ride motorbikes and students ride electric bicycles in the wrong direction a lot. They go the wrong way carefree, as if they were following the law, and many of them don’t even wear helmets. Meanwhile, vehicles going the right way have to avoid them. Many accidents have happened because of motorbikes going the wrong way,” Ms. H. said.

Similarly, Mr. PVB in Thanh An commune, Cam Lo district, also frequently witnessed many accidents caused by motorbikes going in the wrong direction. “Many people are very unconscious, driving in the wrong direction, turning on their headlights and honking loudly. When some people remind them, they argue and swear. This situation partly comes from awareness, partly from lack of strict handling,” said Mr. B.

Recently, on social networking forums, many Facebook accounts have posted video clips of tragic traffic accidents, the main cause of which was motorbikes going in the wrong direction. In some cases, while trying to avoid oncoming vehicles, the motorbike driver, who was going in the right direction, fell onto the road and was then run over by a car, leading to death.

Need to be handled seriously

At Point a, Clause 7 and Point a, Clause 10, Article 7, Decree No. 168/2024/ND-CP (effective from January 1, 2025) stipulates penalties and deduction of driving license points for drivers of motorbikes, mopeds, and similar vehicles to motorbikes and similar vehicles to mopeds who violate road traffic regulations: a fine of 4-6 million VND for drivers driving in the opposite direction of a one-way street, driving in the opposite direction on a road with a "No entry" sign; driving on the sidewalk, except for driving on the sidewalk to enter a house or office. A fine of 10-14 million VND for drivers who do not observe, slow down or stop to ensure safety as prescribed and cause a traffic accident; driving at a speed exceeding the prescribed speed causing a traffic accident; Entering the highway, stopping, parking, turning, reversing, overtaking, changing direction, changing lanes in violation of regulations causing traffic accidents; not driving in the correct lane, not keeping a safe distance between two vehicles as prescribed causing traffic accidents or entering a road with a sign prohibiting entry for the type of vehicle being driven, driving in the opposite direction of a one-way road, driving in the opposite direction on a road with a "No Entry" sign causing traffic accidents. Thus, the error of driving a motorbike in the opposite direction without causing a traffic accident is subject to a fine of 4-6 million VND, and 2 points will be deducted from the driver's license; the error of driving a motorbike in the opposite direction causing a traffic accident is subject to a fine of 10-14 million VND, and 10 points will be deducted from the driver's license.

The law stipulates that, but in reality, the detection and punishment of cases of motorbikes going in the wrong direction are not many, not enough to deter, so every day, there are still many motorbikes going in the wrong direction on National Highway 1. It is thought that the authorities need to increase patrolling, controlling and handling cases of motorbikes going in the wrong direction. Authorities at all levels need to strengthen propaganda and mobilize people to comply with the law. And above all, each citizen needs to proactively update and improve their knowledge and awareness of the Road Traffic Law and awareness when participating in traffic to protect themselves, as well as ensure safety for those around them.

Tran Tuyen

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/can-xu-ly-nghiem-tinh-trang-di-xe-may-nguoc-chieu-192784.htm