Many highways still lack safety assurance.

On March 19th, the Traffic Police Department – Ministry of Public Security organized a scientific conference on “Ensuring order and traffic safety on expressways – current situation and solutions”.

Problems in planning and management

The conference focused on solutions to enhance the effectiveness of patrol, control, violation handling, and ensuring traffic order and safety on roads, preventing congestion and accidents; the current situation and the survey and recommendations for addressing the inconsistencies in traffic infrastructure and traffic organization on expressways.

At the conference, Colonel Nguyen Quang Nhat – Head of the Propaganda, Investigation and Handling of Traffic Accidents Department (Traffic Police Department) – said that as of now, the country has exploited and used 9 expressways with a total length of 1,708 km. During the operation, limitations and shortcomings were revealed in the planning, construction, management, and maintenance, which have had an impact on traffic safety on the expressway, and accidents have still occurred frequently.

Specifically, there were some particularly serious cases, such as 2 incidents on the Cam Lo – La Son and Noi Bai – Lao Cai expressways in early 2024. In addition, new expressway sections, such as Hanoi – Lao Cai, Cao Bo – Mai Son – National Highway 45, Trung Luong – My Thuan, Vinh Hao – Phan Thiet, Nha Trang – Cam Lam… have witnessed continuous traffic accidents due to the failure to ensure the safety standards of the expressway from the construction phase.

Specifically, there is a lack of rest areas for drivers, no rigid barriers between lanes, no emergency stopping lanes or insufficiently wide emergency stopping lanes, no lighting system at night, limited visibility… Besides, some sections have not arranged headquarters, temporary vehicle impoundment areas, places for handling violations… leading to difficulties in the operations of the traffic law enforcement force in ensuring traffic order and safety.

In his presentation at the conference, Colonel Le Quang Hoa – Head of Traffic Control and Organization Department (Traffic Police Department) – stated that a survey of all 11 expressways and 1 component project, the Cam Lo – La Son section, revealed 132 inconsistencies and shortcomings, such as the lack of median barriers, emergency stopping lanes, and deteriorating road surface…

For some newly opened and operating sections that have not met the standards of expressways, there have been potential risks of accidents, congestion, and difficulties for vehicle operators. Some other expressways, such as Hanoi – Lao Cai, Hanoi – Thai Nguyen, have degraded, rutted, and have non-smooth traffic flow, posing a potential risk to traffic safety; however, there have been delays in remedial measures and repairs.

Downgrade and operation

According to Colonel Le Quang Hoa, if these expressways do not meet the safety requirements, the unit will still insist on proposing a downgrade of the operation. “If downgrading is not possible, then vehicle entry must be restricted, speed must be limited, ensuring safety for people participating in traffic” – Colonel Le Quang Hoa emphasized.

Addressing these issues, Mr. Nguyen Manh Thang, Deputy Head of the Road Management Department, said that the allocated capital only meets about 66% of the investment needs for expressways in the period of 2021 – 2025. “As a management unit, we always want to operate 6-lane roads fully meeting standards like the Hanoi – Hai Phong expressway. However, due to limited resources, we have to invest gradually in some sections with low traffic volume and difficult terrain,” Mr. Thang said.

According to Mr. Thang, investing in 2-lane expressways without rigid barriers poses a high risk of accidents, and the continuous lack of emergency stopping lanes will cause prolonged congestion in the event of incidents. In the first quarter of 2024, the Ministry of Transport will issue standards for expressways. With such standards, there will certainly be no 2-lane expressways, and the investment must ensure a minimum of 4 lanes. Relevant agencies will allocate resources to ensure the completion of expressway construction.

Regarding the installation of lighting systems on expressways, Mr. Nguyen Manh Thang said that when participating in traffic on the expressway, drivers follow signs, road markings…, and since the expressway does not have level intersections or encounters with non-motorized vehicles, installing lights along the entire route is wasteful. “The regulations and standards clearly state the installation of lighting in areas such as toll stations, rest areas, intersections, overpasses, tunnels…, but for straight roads, as long as vehicles run within marked lanes and follow road signs, safety is ensured” – Mr. Thang analyzed and cited the experience of some countries in the world that excessive lighting installations cause light pollution.