Decree 168/2024, which outlines penalties for road traffic violations, came into effect on January 1, 2025. However, Article 53, focusing on transitional provisions, delays penalties for three specific violations until January 1, 2026. This grace period aims to allow individuals and businesses to prepare for stricter child transportation safety regulations.
Specifically, Clause 2 of Article 53 in Decree 168/2024 details these three violations, all centered around enhancing safety measures when transporting children by car.
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1. Transporting Children Under 1.35m in the Front Seat
This violation applies to drivers of private cars and similar vehicles.
Offense: Transporting children under 10 years old and shorter than 1.35 meters in the front seat (except in single-row vehicles) without using appropriate child safety restraints.
Legal Basis: Point m, Clause 3, Article 6 of Decree 168/2024.
Penalty: A fine ranging from 800,000 to 1,000,000 VND for the driver.
2. School Buses Without Suitable Seats/Seatbelts (Penalty for Vehicle Owners)
This violation applies to transportation businesses.
Offense: Operating vehicles for transporting preschool or elementary school children (or combined business and shuttle services) without age-appropriate seatbelts or seats.
Legal Basis: Point e, Clause 4, Article 26 of Decree 168/2024.
Penalty: A fine of 3,000,000 to 4,000,000 VND for individual transport businesses, and 6,000,000 to 8,000,000 VND for organizational transport businesses.
3. Drivers of School Buses Without Suitable Seats/Seatbelts (Penalty for Drivers)
Drivers, alongside vehicle owners, are also subject to penalties.
Offense: Driving vehicles for transporting preschool or elementary school children (or combined business and shuttle services) without age-appropriate seatbelts or seats.
Legal Basis: Point b, Clause 1, Article 27 of Decree 168/2024.
Penalty: A fine ranging from 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 VND for the driver.
Parents, transportation businesses, and schools operating shuttle services must urgently review and equip necessary safety devices before the regulations take full effect in early 2026.
Is Running a Red Light on a Traffic Officer’s Command Subject to Post-Offense Penalties?
Encountering a red light but receiving direct guidance from a traffic officer to proceed, drivers must comply with this instruction and will not be subject to automated penalties.
