Focus on propaganda to ensure safety of inland waterways

The Traffic Police Department coordinated with the commune police to propagate to ensure order and safety of inland waterway traffic for the people of An Chan commune, Tuy An district. Photo: NGO XUAN

Strengthen inspection and management

Recently, the incident of a jet ski losing control and crashing into the shore, killing a young girl and injuring another in Nhon Hai Commune (Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh Province) has sounded the alarm about the management of canoes and jet skis. Immediately after the heartbreaking incident occurred, the authorities increased patrols and management to promptly prevent the operation of jet skis and canoes that do not meet the required operating conditions.

Specifically, the Traffic Police Department of the Provincial Police has proactively coordinated with local police and border guards to organize many propaganda campaigns, reminding owners of floating cages and inland waterway vehicles to strictly comply with the provisions of the law on order and safety of inland waterway traffic; strengthening propaganda, disseminationand education of the law and raising awareness of compliance with the provisions of the law on ensuring order and safety of waterway traffic, preventing accidents, injuries, and drowning of children; especially raising awareness of compliance with regulations on wearing life jackets and using life-saving buoyancy devices when participating in inland waterway traffic. In addition, the unit organized for owners of floating cages and watercraft owners to sign a commitment not to put their vehicles into business or operation without registration and inspection; drivers without appropriate professional certificates are also not allowed to operate vehicles on waterways to ensure traffic safety and avoid unfortunate incidents.

According to the Traffic Police Department, after checking, the whole province currently has 19 food and beverage cages and 35 inland waterway vehicles. Of these, 16 vehicles transport passengers from the shore to the islands, the distance from the shore to the islands is from 1-5km. Previously, these waterway vehicles were mainly used by people for aquaculture, seafood catching, and near-shore fishing. In recent years, some households have used these vehicles to transport passengers from the shore or from floating rafts along the shore to the islands for sightseeing and tourism , but not regularly and without permission from the authorities; there are no inland waterway ports or wharves. Therefore, the authorities regularly coordinate with localities to organize management, requiring vehicle owners to sign a commitment not to put the vehicles into business, exploitation, or transporting tourists.

Criminal prosecution if an incident occurs

Along with propaganda and reminders, the Traffic Police Department also regularly inspects and handles violations of order and safety on inland waterways. In particular, the unit focuses on handling violations of carrying more people than prescribed, unregistered and uninspected vehicles, not ensuring requirements for life-saving equipment when participating in waterway traffic; handling drivers of waterway vehicles without licenses or professional certificates as prescribed or with licenses and professional certificates but not suitable.

Every year, the Traffic Police Department organizes many campaigns to propagate, inspect and remind watercraft owners to comply with regulations on order and safety of inland waterways; strictly handle violations. Those who do not comply will be subject to administrative sanctions, even criminal prosecution if incidents or accidents with serious consequences occur.

Lieutenant Colonel Le Viet Lap, Deputy Captain of the Waterway Police Team

Specifically, from 2015 to present, the Traffic Police Department has coordinated with functional forces to organize 127 patrols; handled 28 violations; reminded 196 cage owners, 221 owners of aquatic vehicles serving aquaculture to comply with the Law on Fisheries and the Law on Inland Waterway Traffic. In addition, the unit also distributed thousands of leaflets, organized hundreds of households, owners of floating cages, and vehicle owners to sign commitments to comply with regulations on order and safety of inland waterway traffic.

Lieutenant Colonel Le Viet Lap, Deputy Head of the Waterway Police Team, Traffic Police Department of the Provincial Police, said: Phu Yen is in the process of planning and implementing a temporary inland waterway infrastructure development plan. Up to now, in the province, there has not been any specific inland waterway route with a decision by a competent authority announced to be put into operation. Therefore, passenger transport activities on inland waterways are mainly traditional, serving the daily needs of coastal residents or in some cases spontaneously serving the needs of a small number of tourists in the absence of adequate channels, routes, and signaling systems.

“Every year, the Traffic Police Department organizes many campaigns to propagate, inspect, and remind owners of watercraft to comply with regulations on order and safety of inland waterways; and strictly handle violations. Those who do not comply will be subject to administrative sanctions, and even criminal prosecution if incidents or accidents with serious consequences occur,” Lieutenant Colonel Le Viet Lap emphasized.

Source: https://baophuyen.vn/an-toan-giao-thong/202505/tap-trung-tuyen-truyen-dam-bao-an-toan-duong-thuy-noi-dia-4a41b62/