Traffic police in the central city of Danang have began checking drivers for alcohol intoxication on August 18.
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| Roadside breath test |
The initial checks were carried out at intersections of Duy Tan-2/9, Hung Vuong-Phan Chu Trinh, and Nguyen Huu Tho-Trung Nu Vuong.
In the initial two-hours, police checked the alcohol level of 120 drivers, 10 of whom were found to have blood alcohol levels above the legal limit. The checks were at random.
Each of these violators was fined VND750,000 (USD36.3), and their vehicles were impounded for 10 days.
Those who were found to have alcohol in their systems, but were under the legal limit, were fined VND300,000 (USD14.5).
The pilot testing programme is part of a training course on drunk driving and traffic safety, organised by the City of Danang and the National Committee for Traffic Safety, and ran from August 16-18.
The training course, initiated by the International Centre for Alcohol Substance Policies, is part of an overall effort to limit drunk driving in Vietnam.
The committee head, Than Van Thanh, said the training course provides traffic police with specific guidelines to monitor drunk drivers, and is in preparation for wider, compulsory enforcement beginning in September.