Hanoi authorities have taken many strong measures to raise students' awareness of road safety, according to the Hanoi Traffic Police.

In particular, the department organized 147 direct communication sessions in educational institutions for nearly 135,000 students and 11,230 teachers from October 1 to 28. About 50 teams of volunteers managed traffic flow at school gates and distributed about 1,120 helmets to students in the city.

"Ensuring road safety for students is important. Currently, there are 152 schools in Hanoi located in areas prone to traffic jams and risks. To reduce traffic accidents among students, the Hanoi Traffic Safety Committee Office has conducted 15 communication programs on traffic laws and traffic behavior for about 29,000 teachers, students and parents in the city," said Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Quang Chung, an officer of Traffic Police Team No. 1 of Hanoi Public Security.

Traffic Police Team No. 1 of Hanoi Public Security distributes leaflets to promote traffic safety. Photos: VGP

In addition to dealing with violations, the authorities have intensified communication to further increase the sense of responsibility of families and schools in maintaining order and road safety.

On October 29, the Traffic Police of Hoan Kiem District distributed thousands of leaflets to students in the area.

 According to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Quang Chung, students' awareness of the traffic law has been raised and violations have decreased significantly.

"However, many parents still do not strictly follow the rules. The main violations include running red lights, carrying children without helmets, and wearing helmets incorrectly," Chung told The Hanoi Times.

In the first nine months of 2024, Hanoi police processed more than 7,600 violations, revoked 42 driver's licenses, and temporarily impounded nearly 3,500 motorcycles and imposed more than VND1 billion (US$41,172) in fines, according to a report released by the city's Traffic Police Department.

The fact that students drive without licenses and knowledge of traffic laws has led to unfortunate accidents and even loss of life, the official added. 

Ba Dinh District Police deal with a parent who takes her children to school without helmets.

Chung added that they combine enforcement of the law with communication and education, applying flexible sanctions to ensure regulations on children's rights.

"In addition to temporarily impounding vehicles that violate the law for those underage driving according to regulations, the working group will summon parents and guardians to the station for punishment," he noted.

Major Vu Tuan Anh, a police officer with the Traffic Police and Public Order Team in Nam Tu Liem District, told The Hanoi Times that in order to effectively ensure traffic safety and order for school-age children, police must regularly conduct surprise inspections at parking lots near school gates and strictly deal with violations.

Underage motorbike riding is rampant among students, even though the traffic law prohibits minors under 18 from doing so. "This violation has many potential risks of causing traffic accidents and endangering passersby and the students themselves."

According to the Hanoi Traffic Police Department, in the first nine months of 2024, there were 17 traffic accidents involving students in the capital, killing nine children and injuring 13.

"These figures are extremely painful when these children are the future of the country. We will join hands with departments and agencies to take more drastic measures to ensure road safety," Tuan Anh said.