What can be done to ease traffic congestion at the start of the new school year?

The school year starts in September, which is a positive time for students and parents, but always leads to a sharp increase in the number of vehicles on streets, especially in the capital. Vientiane Times asked around for people’s thoughts on how this chronic problem might be eased.

Ms Duen, an employee in Chanthabouly district, Vientiane: During term time I always see lots of children under the age of 15 driving. I don’t know whether or not they have a licence but I’m sure this is illegal, and I sometimes see them racing and driving recklessly. This creates a serious risk of accidents and it’s clear that teenagers don’t respect the traffic regulations. I know that some parents don’t have time to take their children to school, but they should consider their responsibilities and the safety of their children before allowing them to drive or ride a bike. I think the police should get tough about this and enforce the law when it comes to underage drivers and dangerous driving.
 
Ms Dalavone Phongoudom, a resident of Xaythany district, Vientiane: I’m sure that we will face traffic congestion with the start of the new academic year. All road users should be extra careful when driving near markets, hospitals and schools because these places are very crowded and the risk of accidents is higher. I would also like to ask people to stop their vehicles if they see schoolchildren waiting to cross the road. Unfortunately, driving standards remain low, while most drivers still don’t pay attention to safety measures, such as wearing a helmet or using seatbelts. I think all drivers should pay greater attention to safety to reduce the risk of accidents. And students should be more careful when crossing roads, and use only zebra crossings if possible.
 
Mr Sonephet, a government official in Sisattanak district, Vientiane: It’s normal for large towns to face this problem. I think it’s quite hard to resolve this issue because most drivers don’t respect the traffic regulations and drive and park inconsiderately. Even though the authorities try to improve the situation, problems and accidents still occur. I would like to call on students and their parents to have greater awareness of the traffic regulations and to drive carefully in areas where there are children.  

Ms Soumaly Pholboudy, a resident of Borikhamxay province: When the new school year starts, roads always become more crowded, especially in Vientiane, where the number of vehicles increases every year. To resolve this problem, people should leave home early in the morning to go to school or work. In the rainy season, travel creates problems for schoolchildren, especially for those riding bicycles and motorbikes. All drivers should pay close attention to the rules of the road to prevent accidents, and those who drive cars should be careful in the rain and not drive fast.
 
Mr Boun Choulamany, a government official in Khammuan province: As we all know, the number of vehicles increases every year and I’m worried about the safety of children when they cross roads. Some schools have traffic police or security guards on duty to help with this, but most schools don’t provide this kind of service. I think it’s important for all schools located on main roads to help children cross roads, as this would mean that parents don’t have to do it themselves and can just stop for a short time while they drop off their children. This would help to reduce congestion outside schools as well as making things safer for children.

By Lamphone Pasanthong
(Latest Update September 2, 2022)