YEN BAI, Vietnam—October 28, 2020

Drink-driving remains an issue across Vietnam despite significant efforts at national and provincial levels to address this. Drink-driving accounted for as much as 80% of traffic violations in Yen Bai province in 2020 alone. In an effort to combat this, the Yen Bai Traffic Safety Committee (TSC), in partnership with AIP Foundation under FIA Foundation’s #ThisIsMyStreet campaign, called on students at Yen Bai Vocational School to participate in an open forum talk show on future interventions.

New and inexperienced drivers under the age of 25 are over-represented in road crash statistics. The combination of inexperience and alcohol can have deadly consequences. The talk show was an opportunity for youth and authorities to discuss the latest information on Decree No. 100/2019/ND-CP, which came into effect nationwide in January 2020. The Decree introduced a blanket ban on alcohol consumption for all vehicle types and significantly increased fines for drink-driving. The talk show also gave participants the opportunity to discuss the reality of alcohol use while riding a motorbike among students in Yen Bai Province. Local government representatives opened up the conversation to students and guests to share their thoughts on how to effectively tackle driving while under the influence.

Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung, Deputy Principal of Yen Bai vocational school, shared, “As we train our students to be responsible drivers, we also have communications campaigns on zero-tolerance for drinking and driving to our students and the general public, but these have always been passive education. When they are really engaged, to raise their voice, to doubt, to answer, to share stories, as they are now in this talk show, we can see how committed they are, which can translate to a change in driving culture in the future.”

More than 1,500 students took part in this large forum, in addition to Mr. Tran Xuan Quyet, Chief Secretariat of Yen BAI TSC Office, Mr. Bui Danh Tu, Deputy Director of Yen Bai Department of Transportation, Mr. Hoang The Nam, Lieutenant of Yen Bai Province Bureau of Traffic Police, Mr. Dang Dinh Thang, Deputy Director of Yen Bai Department of Health, Mr. Dinh Tien Hung, Deputy Secretary of Ho Chi Minh Youth Union, Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung, Deputy Principal of Yen Bai Vocational School, and representatives from AIP Foundation.

Road traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for children over the age of five and for adolescents worldwide.#ThisIsMyStreetcampaign was developed by the FIA Foundation, as part of the Decade of Action for Road Safety, to empower youth to speak up and act on road danger, air pollution and climate change—the very issues that impact their lives the most.