“Every time I approach an intersection, I feel uneasy, fearing I might unknowingly break traffic laws. My solution is to drive slowly and stop before the yellow light appears.”
His anxiety is due to Decree 168, which has increased fines for traffic offences multiple times from previous levels. The penalty for running a red light, for instance, has increased from VND4–6 million (US$157–236) to VND18–20 million.
“High fines act as a strong deterrent and can reduce violations, but drivers like us are terrified of technical issues like ‘faulty lights,’ ‘blocked signs’ and other uncontrollable situations,” Quoc says.
Dao Manh Quoc from Hanoi is a truck and taxi driver. Photo courtesy of Quoc |
As someone who frequently drives on long routes to the central region, he also finds the regulations limiting driving time challenging. The rule limits drivers to 10 hours a day and 48 hours a week, and only allows them four hours straight. Violators face fines of VND3–5 million, license suspensions of one to three months, and vehicle owners can be fined VND8–12 million.
“How do you stop in the middle of a highway if you have not reached a rest stop?” Quoc asks.
He also says that while much of the focus is on the red-light fines, other penalties are also very high. For instance, the penalty for “transporting unsecured goods” has been increased by 30 times. Quoc points out this violation is subjective, relying heavily on visual assessment as there are no clear standards.
For someone like him who earns around VND15 million a month, he worries that the fines are very high relative to income. He also points out that penalties often include license suspensions and vehicle impoundments lasting months, depriving drivers of their livelihoods. “I do not condone violations, but drivers cannot always control every situation. Regardless of the circumstances, it is always the driver who gets punished.”
He says he has considered quitting the profession.
Quoc’s concerns are shared by Xuan Hung, a 45-year-old driver in HCMC with 20 years of experience. Recent discussions in his chat groups have centered on the red-light violation fine of up to VND20 million. “A single mistake can cost more than a month’s salary,” he says, noting that drivers like him typically earn VND12–14 million a month.
Hong Minh, 55, a truck driver and administrator of a social media forum with over 21,000 members, says most drivers agree that high fines act as a deterrent, but many also believe the traffic infrastructure must improve accordingly.
Minh, who has been driving for nearly 30 years, recalls numerous issues with traffic lights. Countdown timers switch abruptly from green to yellow and red, or lights turn green while the countdown timers are still running, he says. “If I keep driving, I risk being fined, but stopping might lead to rear-ending.”
To avoid unfair penalties he has installed a dashcam in his vehicle, but he points out that camera-based penalties take up to six months to be decided, by which time the dashcam footage is erased.
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Pham Thanh Trung, 44, and his children were on their way back to their hometown in central city of Thanh Hoa on Jan. 1, 2025 when he noticed faulty traffic lights at several intersections, causing confusion for road users. Photo courtesy of Trung |
Le Hong Hien of the Hanoi Bar Association acknowledges public concerns that without quick improvements to traffic infrastructure unintentional violations are a likelihood. “This situation not only causes confusion and negative reactions among drivers but also reduces the efficacy of the new regulations.”
But he believes the penalties are necessary though some also argue that the fines are too high relative to the country’s average income. Severe penalties serve as a powerful deterrent, forcing people to think carefully before breaking the law, he says. “The ultimate goal of strict penalties is to minimize accidents, protect the community, and ensure public safety.”
He is also at pains to stress that violations due to unavoidable factors such as faulty traffic lights and obscured signs will be reviewed if there is clear evidence.
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Traffic police fines violators at the Nguyen Trai – Khuat Duy Tien intersection in Hanoi on the morning of Jan. 2, 2025. Photo from Read/Huy Manh |
Since 2019 traffic rules have been set out under three decrees, the earlier ones being 100 and 123.
Pham Thanh Trung, a 44-year-old transport engineer and part-time driver, supports updating regulations to reflect current realities.
Based on his experience in the driver community, he says only 30% of drivers fully understand the regulations, with most relying on habit rather than actively complying with traffic laws.
“I hope for widespread public education campaigns and training programs so that the laws not only become easier and more convenient for enforcement authorities but also benefit all road users.”
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