Fear of encountering teenagers riding motorcycles recklessly.

Unexpectedly hit from the side by a car that suddenly sped out of an alley, Tuyet Hanh fell to the road, her body bruised and her bones fractured.

Seeing her fall, with one leg pinned under the motorcycle, a male student in uniform – who was riding the motorcycle without a helmet – immediately fled.

A 28-year-old woman from Nam Tu Liem district, Hanoi, was taken to a medical station for examination due to multiple scratches on her body and inability to move her legs. "My vision was obstructed, and the person who caused the accident didn't honk or look out of the car when they came out of the alley at high speed, so I didn't have time to react," Hanh recounted.

Two people riding an electric motorbike without helmets were seen traveling on Dao Tan Street, Ba Dinh District, at noon on March 20. Photo: Quynh Nguyen.

Mr. Trong Nghia, 45 years old, from Hai Phong , was also once hit by an electric motorbike driven by a student who deliberately ran a red light and cut in front of him. Fortunately, because he was moving slowly, had a steady hand on the handlebars, and reacted quickly, no serious consequences occurred.

"Moving silently at high speed" is how the 38-year-old man describes current electric motorbikes. According to him, the danger stems from the fact that most drivers are teenagers and students who lack knowledge of traffic laws, don't wear helmets, and like to run red lights, even though the vehicles are silent. "Compared to motorcycles and cars, the penalties for electric motorbikes are too lenient, so nobody is afraid," Nghia said.

In response to this situation, on March 15th, the Vice Chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee, Khuất Việt Hùng, proposed adding regulations on issuing driver's licenses for electric motorbikes and vehicles under 50 cc to the Law on Road Traffic Safety and Order, and suggested that this should also apply to children aged 16 to under 18.

Associate Professor Bui Thi An, Director of the Institute of Resources, Environment and Community Development, believes that requiring underage motorbike drivers to study traffic laws, take a driving test, and obtain a driver's license is essential.

"In recent years, the situation regarding traffic accidents caused by drivers under 18 years old has become more complex, with many cases resulting in tragic consequences," Ms. An said.

According to statistics from the National Traffic Safety Committee, 90% of traffic accidents involving students aged 16-18 primarily involve motorcycles with engine capacities under 50 cm3 and electric scooters. In 2023 alone, nearly 1,000 children under 18 died and 1,300 were injured in traffic accidents. Approximately 80% of the victims were aged 15-18 and were driving their own vehicles when the accidents occurred.

Hanoi traffic police fine students for riding motorbikes and electric bicycles without helmets. Photo: Giang Huy

Dr. Khuong Kim Tao, former Deputy Chief of the Office of the National Traffic Safety Committee, also agrees with the regulation requiring driver's licenses for those aged 16-18. "The failure to comply with traffic laws when operating electric motorcycles and 50cc motorbikes creates fear and anxiety among other road users," said Dr. Tao.

Like Tuyet Hanh, after falling and fracturing a bone, she developed a fear of getting hurt. Whenever she sees a vehicle driven by teenagers, she slows down and keeps her distance. "If they don't avoid me, I'll avoid them. I always look around because if I get hit, it'll only hurt myself," Hanh said.

As for Mr. Nghia, fearing his 9th-grade son wouldn't be able to control his speed on the electric motorbike, he took it to a shop and asked the mechanic to limit the maximum speed to 25-30 km/h and adjust the lights and horn. He also constantly taught his son about traffic laws, requiring him to wear a helmet and obey traffic signs and signals whenever he goes out. "Even with a good vehicle, poor traffic awareness will sooner or later lead to consequences," Mr. Nghia said.

However, some argue that requiring those under 18 to take a driving test would be time-consuming, costly, and increase social expenses.

Ngoc Anh, 17, from Cau Giay district, Hanoi, declared she is ready to switch to a different mode of transportation because she finds it inconvenient. "In just one more year, I'll have to take the A1 driving test again," the student said.

Ngoc Anh chose an electric scooter as her daily mode of transportation. Photo: Thanh Nga

Dr. Tao believes the public's argument is well-founded. Neither the 2008 Road Traffic Law nor the 1968 Convention on Road Traffic stipulates that individuals aged 16 to 18 must take a driving test to operate motorcycles with a cylinder capacity under 50 cc.

Experts also emphasized that while taking driving tests to help people understand and comply with traffic laws is good, it's more important to raise awareness among road users, because there are no bad vehicles, only drivers who don't operate them properly.

In addition to educational measures involving family and school, experts propose several stricter penalties and sanctions, such as tightening regulations on vehicle seizure and penalizing drivers for not wearing helmets, running red lights, reckless driving, and exceeding speed limits.

In 2022, Ms. Thanh Thúy, residing in Hà Đông district, spent 20 million VND buying an electric motorbike for her son to use for school. For the past year, the motorbike has been gathering dust after her son crashed into a pedestrian while deliberately running a red light.

Although the victim only suffered minor scratches and did not demand compensation, Ms. Thuy did not want a similar incident to happen again, so she asked her son to return to riding his bicycle. She said she would drive him to and from the destination if he needed to travel long distances or on rainy days.

"This is the best way to protect my child and those around him. If he hasn't mastered driving skills and doesn't understand traffic laws, he shouldn't be on the road," said the 40-year-old woman.

Thanh Nga - Quynh Nguyen

Source: https://vnexpress.net/noi-so-gap-thieu-nien-di-xe-may-au-4726926.html