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An official statement said Da Nang officers are "100%" on duty to handle violations during this Lunar New Year Holiday, and that "there is no such thing as a halting of checking drivers’ alcohol levels."
On Friday evening, the city Police Department announced that false information had been spreading on social media claiming that traffic police would not be checking for alcohol level violations this Tet holiday, which started Thursday to celebrate the new lunar year that begins Saturday.
This information is "untrue," the department stated.
It said traffic police forces across the central city, Vietnam’s third largest, are in fact intensifying patrols, traffic stops, and are strictly handling violations related to alcohol.
The department stated that in line with Ministry of Public Security policy, the Da Nang City police "operate through Lunar New Year's Eve, throughout Tet, with no days off," and "there are no exceptions, no prohibited zones."
During Tet, the use of beer and alcohol increases significantly throughout Vietnam, and police advise people to consume absolutely no alcohol when driving to avoid heavy fines and the risk of causing accidents and harm to themselves and others.
From Jan. 10 to March 9, traffic police nationwide will intensify patrols and handle traffic violations on roads, railways, and waterways.
On roads, the Traffic Police Department stated that they would patrol and handle violations related to alcohol levels, modification of vehicle bodies, overloading, over-passenger carrying, and speeding.
The government and traffic authorities have enforced the DUI checks more rigorously than ever over the past few months.
Vietnamese law dictates that any amount of alcohol found in a person's system while driving will result in his or her losing their license for a period of time. DUI penalties can include a fine of up to VND40 million (US$1,640) and a two-year license suspension, while those who cause accidents while intoxicated can face criminal charges.
