Lawyers and traffic experts suggest Hanoi carefully consider its decision to raise fines for traffic violations in spite of a legal basis.

The Hanoi People’s Committee is currently seeking public opinions on a draft resolution regarding the imposition of fines on certain administrative violations in the field of road traffic.

The city plans to increase fines by 1.5 to two times compared to the levels set in Decree 168, which took effect on January 1, 2025 and imposed stricter penalties on traffic breaches, targeting 107 violations in road traffic. 

The new fines may be applied from July 2025, with some offenses carrying penalties as high as VND120 million (US$4,744).

According to the municipal administration, the adjustments will focus on three main categories of violations, including common infractions that occur daily, negatively affecting public habits and urban aesthetics; offenses directly leading to traffic accidents and congestion; and violations that impact public order and traffic infrastructure.

The plan is aimed at reducing traffic accidents and congestion, while gradually promoting a culture of traffic safety.

Considering the timing of higher fines

Dr. and lawyer Dang Van Cuong from the Hanoi Bar Association told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that when the government issued harsher fines under Decree 168, most people said that the fines were already stringent, especially for such violations as running red lights, driving on sidewalks, lane changes without signaling, and alcohol-related infractions.

While there has been no official review of the law’s effectiveness, the implementation of Decree 168 has proven effective, contributing to improved traffic safety and reduced accident rates, particularly during the Lunar New Year holiday, which concluded last weekend.

“Most people believe the current fines are already hefty and have had a strong impact on the awareness of road users," said lawyer Cuong.

“Therefore, if any locality continues to propose adjustments based on special policies to raise fines beyond the current Decree 168, it seems unnecessary at this time.”

He analyzed that based on the Capital Law, Hanoi has a legal basis to consider imposing higher fines for traffic violations than those stipulated in Decree 168. 

However, Cuong stressed the need to carefully consider both the timing of the fine increases and the feasibility of these new regulations. 

He explained that every legal document, especially those related to road traffic, has direct impacts on society.

For many people, driving is essential for their livelihoods. If they are fined excessively beyond their ability to pay, it could directly affect their lives, their economy, and even their family happiness, Cuong said.

“While hiking fines at certain phases is necessary, the spike must align with the country’s socio-economic conditions and ensure the effectiveness of the legal regulations," he said.

“Raising traffic fines, or fines in other areas of life, is reasonable only when previous fines no longer work or fail to deter violations.

"If the current fines are effective and sufficiently deterrent, Hanoi should not consider increasing them at this time despite the available legal ground."

Targeting only special violations

Nguyen Van Thanh, former president of the Vietnam Automobile Transportation Association, expressed his support for the proposal to revise up traffic violation fines in Hanoi.

He stated that it was necessary given the current complex traffic situation in the capital and the legal basis provided by the Capital Law. 

However, Thanh voiced concerns about Hanoi’s proposal to lift fines by 1.5-2 times for 107 different offenses.

He suggested that the city should deliberate which violations to target, advocating for selective enforcement rather than widespread fining.

He hinted at focusing on particularly dangerous violations, such as illegal modifications to vehicle bodies, overloading, speeding, and driving under the influence of alcohol, as well as other high-risk behaviors that pose a significant safety threat.

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