The offender, a younger male pupil with out a helmet, swiftly fled the scene, leaving Hanh behind with one leg nonetheless trapped beneath her fallen bike.
Unable to maneuver, the 28-year-old woman from Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi, was quickly taken to the closest medical station for her accidents.
“I used to be fully caught off guard. The individual answerable for the accident neither honked nor appeared round whereas dashing via the alley,” Hanh recounted.
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Two helmetless riders on an electrical bike on Dao Tan Avenue, Hanoi’s Ba Dinh District, captured on March 20, 2024. Photograph by VnExpress/Quynh Nguyen |
Trong Nghia, a 45-year-old resident of Hai Phong, skilled a collision with an electrical bike when its driver – a younger pupil – deliberately ran a crimson gentle. Fortunately, resulting from Nghia’s cautious pace, regular dealing with, and fast reflexes, the incident didn’t end in any extreme penalties.
“Rushing in silence” is how the person aptly characterised at present’s electrical scooters.
In keeping with Nghia, the peril of those autos lies of their potential to maneuver with out making any noise. Most of their operators are minors, who usually are not absolutely geared up with site visitors information and expertise. They have a tendency to ignore helmet utilization, don’t honk, and sometimes run crimson lights.
“In comparison with regular motorbikes and vehicles, the penalties for electrical scooters and motorbikes are nonetheless too lenient. It’s not sufficient to discourage these drivers from breaking site visitors security guidelines,” Nghia asserted.
In response to the scenario, on March 15, Khuat Viet Hung, Vice Chairman of the Nationwide Visitors Security Committee, proposed including rules that will require drivers to have a license for working electrical autos and motorbikes with a capability below 50 cc, as an modification to the prevailing Legislation on Roadway Visitors.
As soon as in impact, the principles would additionally apply to youngsters from 16 to 18 years previous.
Affiliate Professor Bui Thi An, Director of the Institute for Sources, Atmosphere and Group improvement, emphasised the essential significance of teaching minor drivers of electrical autos about site visitors legal guidelines via conducting driving assessments and issuing licenses.
“Lately, there was a rise in site visitors accidents brought on by drivers beneath the age of 18, with some leading to critical repercussions,” An stated.
In keeping with studies from the Ministry of Transport, by the tip of 2023, there have been roughly 2.3 million electrical motorbikes and mopeds in Vietnam. The gross sales of those autos have surged by 30-35% over the previous few years. Notably, college students make up the first person group, as they’re exempt from taking a driver’s assessments to acquire licenses.
Based mostly on information from the Nationwide Visitors Security Board, 90% of site visitors accidents in recent times contain youngsters driving electrical autos or bikes below 50 cc.
In 2023 alone, practically 1,000 youngsters below 18 misplaced their lives, and one other 1,300 had been injured in site visitors accidents. Round 80% of those victims had been between 15 and 18 years previous and had been driving their very own autos on the time of the occasion.
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Hanoi site visitors police issuing fines to college students on motorbikes and electrical bicycles for not carrying helmets. Photograph by VnExpress/Giang Huy |
Dr Khuong Kim Tao, former Deputy Chief of Workplace of the Nationwide Visitors Security Committee, additionally needs to make licenses obligatory for teenage street customers.
“Non-compliant operation of electrical motorbikes and mopeds below 50cc additionally instills worry amongst fellow street customers,” Tao stated.
Tuyet Hanh, having skilled the accident, now approaches electrical bikes with heightened vigilance.
Every time she meets one, she decelerates and maintains a secure distance from the automobile. “Lately I proactively keep away from them. It’s higher to remain additional alert and shield your self,” stated Hanh.
In the meantime, Trong Nghia took his son’s electrical bike to a restore store for customized changes, following considerations that his Ninth-grade son would journey the automobile with out correct pace management.
He requested the mechanic to restrict the utmost pace of the bike to 25-30 km/h, whereas additionally ensuring the bike horn and lights had been all practical.
Moreover, Nghia educated his little one about site visitors security, emphasizing the significance of carrying helmets, understanding and following street indicators, and utilizing flip alerts. “Regardless of the comfort of transportation autos, lack of understanding whereas driving will inevitably result in grave penalties,” he stated.
Nonetheless, some customers of electrical motorbikes and mopeds below 50 cc consider that taking a driving license take a look at can be a waste of money and time.
Ngoc Anh, a 17-year-old electrical moped person from Cau Giay district, Hanoi, claimed that she would cease utilizing her moped for good if she had been required to get a driving license for the automobile.
“It’s an excessive amount of work. In only one yr, I’d need to take one other driving take a look at for the bike,” she remarked.
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Ngoc Anh on her electrical moped. Photograph by VnExpress/Thanh Nga |
Dr Tao acknowledged the validity of those considerations. Each the Vietnamese Legislation on Highway Visitors (2008) and the 1968 Vienna Conference on Highway Visitors don’t stipulate that drivers of bikes with a capability below 50 cc should receive a driving license.
He argued that whereas driving assessments give a great alternative for people to equip themselves with site visitors legal guidelines, their consciousness performs an much more essential position. In spite of everything, it’s not the autos themselves which might be problematic, however relatively the habits of drivers that may result in points.
Along with academic efforts involving households and faculties, the professional really useful implementing stringent sanctions on electrical moped customers, to deal with violations corresponding to not carrying helmets, working crimson lights, and extreme dashing.
“Issues associated to electrical autos might be solved if we deal with them the identical approach we crack down on driving inebriated,” stated Dr Tao.
In 2022, Thanh Thuy, a resident of Ha Dong District, spent VND20 million ($806) on an electrical bike for her son. Nonetheless, after he collided with a pedestrian whereas working a crimson gentle, the automobile has remained unused for a yr.
Though the sufferer sustained solely minor scratches and didn’t search compensation, Thuy is decided to forestall a recurrence, and requested her son to return to biking. For longer rides, particularly on days with harsh climate, she provides him a journey herself.
Thuy believes this method ensures security for each her little one and different street customers. “If a toddler has not mastered driving expertise and site visitors guidelines, they need to chorus from driving on the street,” the 40-year-old stated.