Home Investments The New Traffic Rules: From 2025, Disobeying Traffic Signals Will Lead to...

Investments

The New Traffic Rules: From 2025, Disobeying Traffic Signals Will Lead to Both a Fine and License Points Deduction

8 January, 2025

Image: Traffic police extracting camera footage of a driver violating traffic rules.

Up to 10 points can be deducted from the driver’s license

Decree No. 168/2024/ND-CP (abbreviated as Decree 168), effective from January 1, 2025, replaces Decree No. 100/2019/ND-CP (amended and supplemented by Decree 123/ND-CP). It outlines administrative penalties for violations in the field of road traffic, including point deductions, restoration of points, and license revocation.

“The Ministry of Public Security has played a pivotal role in ensuring road order and safety. We have advised the government and developed five decrees and 15 circulars to support the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety,” said Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Quang Nhat.

Regarding the increased penalties in Decree 168, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Quang Nhat, Head of the Guidance, Propaganda, and Traffic Accident Investigation and Settlement Division of the Traffic Police Department, stated that the decree imposes stringent penalties on behaviors that are the root causes of traffic accidents. These penalties reflect a disregard for the law when participating in road traffic and include significantly increased fines and even vehicle confiscation for running red lights, driving in the wrong direction, or performing stunts.

Image: Traffic police inspecting the paperwork of a bus driver.

Speaking about the point deduction system in Decree 168, Lieutenant Colonel Nhat explained that the drafting committee based the penalties on the nature and severity of the violations. These include supplementary penalties such as point deductions from the driver’s license, license revocation, and confiscation of tangibles.

“According to the regulations, violations will result in a deduction of 2 to a maximum of 10 points. Additionally, some dangerous behaviors with a high potential for causing accidents will result in license revocation,” said Lieutenant Colonel Nhat. He provided an example: “For car drivers, violating the alcohol limit at level 1 will result in a 4-point deduction, at level 2 a 10-point deduction, and at level 3, license revocation for 22-24 months. Other violations, such as failing to obey traffic signals or the orders of a traffic controller, or driving in the wrong direction, will result in a 4-point deduction.”

The Head of the Guidance, Propaganda, and Traffic Accident Investigation and Settlement Division added that the Traffic Police Department has shared data with the Public Service Portal and connected with the National Population Database to manage and process information related to temporary license retention since August 15. Therefore, they encourage drivers to integrate their documents related to their licenses and vehicles into the VNeID system for easier monitoring.

Image: Traffic police using speed measuring devices to catch slow-moving vehicles.

Priority given to using technology and cameras as evidence

According to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Quang Nhat, the Traffic Police Department has completed preparations regarding personnel, infrastructure, software, and the Traffic Control Center to meet the requirements of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety, which comes into effect on January 1, 2025.

“The Traffic Police Department has conducted training sessions for local police forces to ensure strict enforcement of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety from its effective date. This contributes to re-establishing discipline and fostering a culture of compliance among road users,” said Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Quang Nhat.

“We are transitioning the Traffic Police’s work and road safety assurance mission from manual to technology-based processes,” said Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Quang Nhat.

Lieutenant Colonel Nhat continued that the local traffic police forces have identified complex intersections and areas regarding road traffic order and safety, especially those with a high number of violations. They are developing plans, allocating personnel and technical resources, and encouraging citizens to abide by the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety.

“The Ministry of Public Security’s stance is to strictly handle violators with the principle of ‘no forbidden zones, no exceptions.’ Meanwhile, officers and soldiers performing their duties must also strictly comply with the regulations,” said Lieutenant Colonel Nhat.

He added that the authorities would prioritize using technological equipment, monitoring systems, and cameras to provide evidence of traffic violations, in addition to direct detection.

As of January 1, 2025, the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety comes into effect. Article 58 of this law stipulates that each driver’s license will have 12 points, and points will be deducted for violations. Once a decision to deduct points is made, it will be updated in the database and communicated to the license holder.

A driver’s license will be restored to 12 points if it has not been fully deducted within 12 months from the date of the most recent deduction. If a license is deducted to zero points, the driver is not permitted to operate a motor vehicle of that type on the road.

After at least six months from the date of zero points, the driver must undergo a test of legal knowledge about road traffic order and safety, organized by the Traffic Police. If they pass, their license will be restored to 12 points.

Thanh Ha

– 06:00 31/12/2024