Vietnam fines reckless drivers half the average annual salary

Vietnamese authorities hope to change the country's long-standing chaotic traffic situation by implementing new, harsh traffic violation penalties starting January 1st. These penalties include fines of 4 million Vietnamese dong (approximately $250 USD) for minor violations such as running a red light, and fines exceeding 50 million Vietnamese dong (approximately $3,184 USD) for more serious violations.

Additionally, individuals who report other drivers' violations can receive a reward of up to 5 million Vietnamese dong. This is a considerable bonus in Vietnam, where the average monthly income is around 8 million Vietnamese dong (approximately $500 USD). However, considering Vietnam's per capita annual income is only about $6,000 USD, some argue that these penalties will place a heavy financial burden on poorer commuters.

Nevertheless, with approximately 30 people dying in road accidents every day in Vietnam, the authorities are attempting to address one of the country's most pressing public health challenges. Road accidents are a leading cause of death among young people in Vietnam. "Traffic accidents happen every day, every hour in Vietnam," said Phạm Bá Hưng of the Vietnam Advanced Driving Academy in Ho Chi Minh City. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 18 out of every 100,000 people in Vietnam die in road accidents, three times the rate in Australia.

Although the government has been strengthening measures to reduce road deaths, about 11,500 people still die in road accidents in Vietnam each year. The main mode of transportation on Vietnamese roads is motorbikes. Under the penalties that came into effect on January 1st, car drivers who cause accidents by opening their car doors will be fined between 20 million and 22 million Vietnamese dong (approximately $1,273 to $1,400 USD). "I strongly support increasing the fines, which will help raise traffic awareness among Vietnamese people and make it safer," said Mr. Hưng, noting that people often ignore speed limits, road signs, and zebra crossings. "The driving culture must change first," he said.

As part of Vietnam's new measures, penalties for some traffic violations have been increased by as much as 50 times. Motorbike drivers who commit common traffic violations such as running red lights, driving against traffic, or driving on sidewalks will face fines of 4 million to 6 million Vietnamese dong (approximately $254 to $381 USD). Nguyen Quoc Phong, a motorbike taxi driver, told AFP that he was "shocked" by the amount of the fines, admitting that he often runs red lights in the capital, Hanoi. "I'm scared now. I've started strictly following the rules," he said. Angela Pratt, the WHO representative in Hanoi, welcomed the new measures, saying that Vietnamese commuters are widely discussing them.

Dr. Pratt stated that the government has successfully reduced the number of road deaths nationwide by 40% between 2010 and 2021 through stricter legislation and, more importantly, the enforcement of those laws. "A concrete example is that Vietnam has one of the strictest drink-driving laws in the world, and it has been very strictly enforced in recent years," she said. Under the new regulations, those who drive under the influence of alcohol or refuse a police alcohol test will face fines of up to 40 million Vietnamese dong (approximately $2,500 USD). "Before these new fines came into effect on January 1st, the situation was that the laws were good, but we could see that they were not being well enforced. Part of the reason was that the penalty amounts were not set at a level that was sufficient to act as a deterrent," said Dr. Pratt.

Those involved in illegal street racing or "reckless driving" may now face fines of up to 50 million Vietnamese dong (approximately $3,184 USD). Vietnam has also introduced a 12-point demerit system similar to that in Australia, where those who repeatedly violate traffic rules will have their licenses suspended. Thanh Tam Tran is very familiar with Vietnam's dangerous traffic conditions. She spent years researching how to improve pre-hospital care for road accident victims while pursuing her PhD at the Australian National University. "You would be hard-pressed to find a Vietnamese person who doesn't have a personal experience with a traffic injury," said Dr. Tran. "I've lived in Australia for about 15 years, and even when I go back to Vietnam, I'm still scared to cross the road."

Dr. Tran explained that due to the lack of a robust ambulance service in Vietnam, bystanders often play a crucial role in providing first aid or helping injured people get to medical care. She stated that the so-called "golden hour"—the 60 minutes after a traumatic accident—is "crucial" in determining a victim's chances of recovery. However, she criticized the new system of rewarding people for reporting others, instead of encouraging them to offer assistance after an accident. "When you have a traffic accident, you need to rely on everyone to help. Now you just have citizen against citizen—it’s not good for social cohesion at all," said Dr. Tran. She also believes that the fines will disproportionately affect lower-income Vietnamese. "The fine amounts are astronomical. It will punish the poor more than the rich," she said.

But Dr. Pratt from the WHO said that while the social impact of the new penalties needs to be monitored, the severity of the fines is essential to driving behavior change. "The logic is clear: if the fines are set too low... people don't really care if they have to pay a fine because it doesn't cost much," she said. "Now the fines are set at a level that will provide a very significant deterrent." Dr. Pratt stated that fines alone are not enough. "Vietnam's success in improving road safety so far has been because they've taken a comprehensive approach: laws, enforcement, infrastructure, vehicle safety standards... there's no silver bullet."