Disabled drivers learn about road safety: Vietnam
HANOI – The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs held a trial road–safety training course for the hard of hearing in Hanoi this week in a bid to reduce accidents and traffic violations.
There are 5.3 million disabled people in VietNam. Many ride motorbikes or drive cars, yet few are familiar with the rules of the road.
"I have been fined several times for traffic violation as I do not know what the various traffic signs mean," said Nguyen Trong Khanh, from Ha Noi, who is partially deaf.
Khanh, 26, like many other people with disabilities, does not have a driving licence. On Tuesday he began a two–day road–safety course in Ha Noi.
Expanded programme –
"This is the first time such a training course has been held for people with hearing problems on a trial basis in Ha Noi," said Nguyen Hong Ha, manager of an aid project promoting road safety among the disabled.
"If the trial project is successful, we hope it will be expanded to include people with other disabilities," said Ha.
She added that the initiative was also aimed at raising awareness of the problem among policy–makers and the community at large.
"This course is designed to meet the needs of the disabled to improve traffic safety," said the director of the National Co–ordinating Committee on Disability in Viet Nam (under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs), Nghiem Xuan Tue.
Tue said the Minister of Transport on March 20 issued a decision on giving driving lessons to the disabled.
Under the draft plan, disabled drivers over the age of 18, who have a health certificate in line with the Health Ministry's regulations will be able to take a driving test.
However, Tue said it was necessary to look into the matter further and involve disabled people themselves directly in drafting the plan.
Fined three times –
"I hope that policy–makers and relevant ministries and agencies will conduct more research and consider the granting of driving licences to people with disabilities to help us drive more safely and legally," said Khanh, who has been fined three times for not having a driving licence.
"I now understand more about traffic rules. I understand the different road signs, which I hope will help prevent me from making further traffic violation," said Tran Hau Cuong, who is also attending the course.
The training course won a US$10,000 award at the 2007 Viet Nam Innovation Day, organised by the World Bank and the Japanese International Co–operation Agency. – VNS
Source: http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn
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