The National Traffic Safety Committee have suggested it should be mandatory for motorbikes to have running lights permanently on, even during daylight hours.
National Traffic Safety Committee wants to make daytime running lights mandatory
The committee believes its idea, which requires riders to use running lights at all times would help to reduce the number of traffic accidents and possibly save up to 600 lives a year.
Khuat Viet Hung, vice chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee said seven South East Asian countries, including Thailand and Malaysia, had employed the same regulations and the number of accident in these countries have dropped by an average 25 percent. Motorists are also required to turn on daytime running light in the EU.
However, Bui Danh Lien, chairman of Hanoi Automobile Association, said the plan was not suitable with Vietnam's weather and situation. According to him, Vietnam doesn't have thick fog so people's vision is good.
"Moreover, our weather is clear and hot, especially in the central region so there's no need to turn on lights. We already have regulations to make motorists turn on their light when it's foggy," he said.
He went on to say that daytime running light would be a waste and increase air temperature. "Regulations must be necessary and practical," he said. "This is unreasonable and the people would not approve."
Colonel Nguyen Duy Dong, deputy head of Nghe An Province's traffic police, also agreed with Lien. "In the summer, riders may be blinded by the light and more accidents can occur. This plan needs further studies," he said.