Many new regulations protect children when participating in traffic.

Recently, there have been many cases of car and motorbike drivers violating traffic safety regulations while traveling on the road, leading to danger for children. Therefore, the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety 2024 has set out many new regulations, contributing to perfecting a specific and strict legal framework to protect children when participating in traffic.

Traffic police propagate traffic laws to students in Phung Hiep district.

From early 2024 to present, there have been a number of traffic accidents in the province with child fatalities due to carelessness and violations of road traffic regulations by adults while driving.

For example, on August 28 this year, driver D. (43 years old, residing in Bac Lieu province) was driving a truck with license plate 94H-003.XX on National Highway 1 from Soc Trang province to Hau Giang. When reaching Long An B hamlet, Cai Tac town, Chau Thanh A district, the truck driver, due to lack of observation, suddenly collided with an electric bicycle driven by T. (12 years old) going in the same direction in front.

At that time, T. was carrying H. (3 years old, both living in Cai Tac town) in the car. The collision injured the two children and they were taken to the hospital by locals for emergency treatment. However, T. later died.

In fact, it is not uncommon for adults to drive vehicles but not pay attention to ensuring traffic safety for children. It is worth mentioning that some behaviors that are regularly punished by the traffic police include not wearing helmets for children over 6 years old; allowing children to stick their hands out of cars or their bodies out of car sunroofs while driving; giving vehicles to people who are not qualified to drive them, etc.

According to the National Traffic Safety Committee, each year there are about 1.8-2 thousand traffic accidents nationwide involving children. Therefore, legal regulations on ensuring traffic safety for children when riding in vehicles need to be more strictly regulated and in line with reality.

In response to practical demands, on June 27, 2024, the 15th National Assembly passed the 2024 Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety with many provisions to protect children when participating in traffic.

Specifically, Clause 3, Article 10 of the 2024 Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety stipulates that when transporting children under 10 years old and under 1.35m tall in a car, children must not sit in the same row of seats as the driver, except for cars with only one row of seats; the driver must use and instruct on the use of appropriate safety equipment for children.

Clause 7, Article 5 stipulates that family members are responsible for disseminating and reminding other members to comply with the law on road traffic safety and order, use seat belts, child seats or have an adult sit with the child in the back when transporting children under 6 years old by motorbike.

Mr. Nguyen Lam Thanh, Chief of Office of the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee, said that Article 30 of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety stipulates: Children under 7 years old must be led by an adult when crossing urban roads or roads with frequent traffic; everyone has the responsibility to help the disabled, the elderly, the mentally ill, children under 7 years old, and pregnant women when crossing the road.

Due to limited awareness and skills in handling traffic situations, children, especially children under 7 years old, must have guidance and assistance from adults when participating in traffic to avoid unsafe situations.

In addition, at Point c, Clause 1, Article 33 of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety 2024, it is stipulated that a motorbike driver is only allowed to carry a maximum of 2 people if there are children under 12 years old. In particular, the law has dedicated Article 46 to regulate ensuring road traffic order and safety for cars carrying preschool children and students.

Further analyzing the new regulations, Mr. Nguyen Lam Thanh said that the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety in 2024 has adjusted the age from 14 to 12 years old for motorbike drivers to carry a maximum of 2 people. This is to suit the physical condition of children in current traffic conditions and also to ensure the safety of children and vehicle drivers when participating in traffic.

The Ministry of Public Security has developed 4 decrees and 15 circulars to create a legal corridor to help the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety 2024 come into effect. In particular, regulations on child protection will be guided more specifically to ensure that regulations are effectively implemented, contributing to keeping children safe when participating in traffic.

Source: https://www.baohaugiang.com.vn/phap-luat/nhieu-quy-dinh-moi-bao-ve-tre-em-khi-tham-gia-giao-thong-136255.html