Drunk driver rams parents fetching schoolchildren

The five-seat, intoxicatedly-piloted vehicle plowed through several parents waiting with motorbikes in Hai Ba Trung District at around 5:30 p.m.

Bystanders had been screaming to stop the motorist for at least 20 meters before he hit more victims.

“Around 10 motorbikes were knocked down in the street,” said one eyewitness, noting that those not sitting on their bikes were able to jump out of the way to avoid injury.

However, two people were hospitalized after being rammed by the charging vehicle, authorities reported.

Police have identified the driver as Nghiem Thanh Dat, a 46-year-old Hanoi resident.

A breath test performed on Dat recorded 0.501 milligrams of alcohol per liter of breath. Authorities said he was not under the influence of drugs.

Anyone driving with alcohol present in their body can face fines, or criminal charges for causing serious accidents and incidents that lead to death.

Drivers with alcohol levels of over 0.4 mg/liter of breath, or 80 mg/100 ml of blood, can face maximum fines of VND40 million ($1,724) in Vietnam. They can also have their license revoked for up to 24 months.

Transport experts have proposed that Vietnam impose stricter drunk driving penalties. Many recommend mandatory jail sentences for those driving with alcohol levels of over 240 mg/100 ml of blood (the U.S. intoxication limit), regardless of the consequences caused by their driving or other actions.

 

 

Drunk driver rams parents fetching schoolchildren

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