Why Understand Traffic Rules In Vietnam?

The Real World 

The biggest error I see foreigners make here, both expats and tourists is they follow the riding behaviour of those around them. A monkey see monkey do approach that can end badly. The locals have been on scooters since they were babies and have picked up many very bad habits but they are experienced riders. Try and regress with respect of behavior and wearing adequate headwear to their level and quite simply you are putting yourself at unnecessary risk. 

Knowledge is Power 

With this knowledge, you will be more aware of what is prohibited and use this information to help you throughout your time in Vietnam. You can avoid fines by acting accordingly and also steer clear of others who are not acting in the correct way. 

You will be seen as a responsible traveler and more likely to have positive experiences whilst you are in Vietnam. 

Welcome and ride safe

Why understand traffic rules in Vietnam? 

Like in any country, the traffic laws can be complicated but fortunately most follow similar conventions as your home country however much less adhered to. Some DO NOT!

Having a good understanding of Vietnam’s traffic laws before you ride can help make your trip safe and avoid clashes with police. It is wise to comply with traffic laws in Vietnam when riding a motorcycle for several reasons.  

Most significantly to: 

• Maintain safety: Following the rules and not following substandard behaviour of some other riders will help to minimize the risk of an accident for everyone. 
• Avoid fines / detainments:  Traffic rules are legally enforced and breaking these rules can result in fines, detainments and other legal implications.  
• Maintain respect for the culture: It is quite impolite to come into someones’ house and disrespect the rules. You will be seen as more cultured, respectful and polite if you ride in accordance with the law. Think of those visitors who come after you and the impact your actions may have on them. 
• Ensure smooth travel:  Knowing the rules can result in more efficient travel. It can help you navigate unfamiliar routes, avoid congestion and reach your destination safely and on time. 
• Maintain composure in emergencies:  A good understanding of traffic rules will make it easier for you to avoid incidents. In an unlikely emergency situation deal with it calmly as you would in your home country. 

65 Traffic Violations for Motorcycles in Vietnam (2025)

1. Failure to comply with the commands and instructions of traffic signs and road markings except for violations specified in Nos. 12, 14, 16, 21, 23, 24, 28, 32, 33, 34, 35, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 49, 52, 61. 200-400k2. No signal before overtaking or signal is given but not used during overtaking. 200-400k3. Reversing a three wheeled motorcycle without looking to the sides of behind the vehicle or without signaling. 200-400k4. Carrying people using an umbrella. 200-400k5. Failure to comply with regulations on giving way at intersections, except for violations specified in items 42 and 43. 200-400k6. Changing lanes in an unauthorized place or without signaling or changing lanes in violation of the regulation ‘each time changing lanes is only allowed to move to one adjacent lane’. 200-400k7. Not using lights between 6pm and 6am the following day or when there is fog, smoke, dust, rain, or bad weather that limits visibility. 200-400k8. Avoid vehicles that do not comply with regulations, use high beams when meeting pedestrians crossing the road or when driving in a residential area with an active lighting system or when meeting oncoming traffic(except in the case where the median strip has anti-glare capabilities) or when changing direction at an intersection; do not give way to oncoming vehicles as prescribed in narrow roads, steep roads or places with obstacles. 200-400k9. Using the horn from 10pm the previous day to 5am the following day in a densely populated area, medical examination and treatment facilities, except for priority vehicles on duty as prescribed. 200-400k10. Driving below the minimum speed limit on a road section with a minimum speed limit. 400-600k11. Stop or park on the roadway outside urban areas where there is a sidewalk 400-600k12. Driving a vehicle at a speed exceeding the prescribed speed limit by 5-10km/h 400-600k13. Driving at a low speed without keeping to the right side of the road causing traffic obstruction. 400-600k14. Stopping or parking vehicles on the roadway, obstructing traffic; gathering 3 or more vehicles on the roadway, in a road tunnel, illegally parking or leaving vehicles on the roadway or sidewalk. 400 – 600k + confiscate equipment15. Vehicles without priority rights using signaling devices of vehicles with priority rights. 400-600k16. Stopping or parking at pick-up and drop-off points, at road intersections, on pedestrian crossings; stopping where there is a ‘ No stopping or parking’ sign; parking where there is sign ‘No red lights’ or ‘No stopping and parking’; failure to comply with regulations on stopping and parking at road intersections a the same level as railways; stopping and parking within the railway traffic safety corridor. 400-600k17. Carrying 2 people on the same vehicle, except in cases of transporting sick people for emergency care, children under 12 years old, elderly or disabled people, or escorting people who have violated the law. 400-600k18. Not wearing a motorcycle helmet or wearing a motorcycle helmet with the strap not properly fastened when driving on the road. 400-600k19. Carrying a person on a vehicle without wearing a helmet for motorcyclists or wearing a helmet for motorcyclists without fastening the strap properly, except in cases of transporting a sick person to the emergency room, a child under 6 years old, or escorting a person who has violated the law. 400-600k20. Turning the vehicle around in a place where turning a vehicle around is not allowed except for violations specified in no. 35.  21. Changing direction without observing or ensuring a safe distance from the vehicle behind or without reducing speed or without signaling a turn or signaling a turn but not using it continuously during the change of direction (expect when driving a vehicle along a curve of a road section where the road does not intersect at the same level), driving a vehicle to turn left where there is a sign prohibiting left turns for the type of vehicle being driven; driving a vehicle to turn right where there is a sign prohibiting right turns for the type of vehicle being driven. 600 – 800k + 2 penalty points22. Carrying 3 or more people on the vehicle.  600 – 800k23. Stopping / parking on a bridge. 600 – 800k24. Driving a vehicle that does not keep to the right in the direction of travel; driving in the wrong part of the road or lane (lane in the same direction or lane in the opposite direction); driving a vehicle across the fixed median strip between two lanes of traffic. 600 – 800k25. Overtake on the right where not permitted. 600 – 800k26. A person driving a vehicle carrying a passenger on the vehicle, holding on to, pulling, punching another vehicle or object, leading an animal, carrying bulky objects; carrying a person standing on the saddle, luggage rack or the handlebars of the vehicle. 600 – 800k27. Driving a vehicle towing another vehicle or object. 600 – 800k28. Not using low beams when driving in tunnels. 600 – 800k29. Not keeping safe distance to avoid collision with the vehicle in front or not keeping the distance as prescribed by the ‘minimum distance between two vehicles’ sign. 600 – 800k30. Driving in a row of three or more.    600 – 800k31. Vehicles with priority rights install or use priority signaling devices that are not in accordance with regulations or use priority signaling devices without a license issued by a competent authority or has a license issued by a competent authority that is no longer valid according to regulations. 800k – 1Million32. Driving a vehicle at a speed exceeding the prescribed speed limit by 10-20km/h 800k – 1Million33. Stopping or parking in a road tunnel in an incorrect location. 800k – 1Million34. Overtaking in cases where overtaking is not allowed, overtaking on a road section with a sign prohibiting overtaking for the type of vehicle being driven. 800k – 1Million35. Turning around in a tunnel. 800 – 1million + 4 penalty points 36. The driver is not allowed to use an umbrella, audio equipment (except hearing aids), handle the handle and use the phone or other electronic devices. 1-2M + 2 penalty points37. Driving a vehicle directly involved in a traffic accident without immediately stopping the vehicle, not preserving the scene, not assisting the victim, except for violations specified in item 53. 1-2M + 2 penalty points38. Changing direction without giving the right of way to: pedestrians, wheelchairs of disabled people crossing the street at a crosswalk; non-motorized vehicles travelling on the roadway reserved for non-motorized vehicles. 1-2M + 2 penalty points39. Changing direction without giving way to: oncoming vehicles; pedestrians, and non-motorized vehicles crossing the road where there are no pedestrian crossings. 2-3M + 4 penalty points40. Driving a vehicle with a blood or breath alcohol concentration that does not exceed 50mg / 100ml blood or 0.25mg/ litre of breath. 2-3M + 4 penalty points41. Entering prohibited areas or roads with signs prohibiting entry for the type of vehicle being driven, except for violations specified in items 44 and 45 and priority vehicles on emergency missions as prescribed. 2-3M + 4 penalty points42. Failure to slow down (or stop) and yield when driving from a non priority road to a priority road, or from a branch road to a main road. 2-3M + 2 penalty points43. Failure to reduce speed and give way to vehicles approaching from the right at an intersection without roundabout signals; failure to reduce speed and give way to vehicles approaching from the left at an intersection with roundabout signals. 4-6M + 2 penalty points44. Driving in the wrong direction on a one-way street, driving in the wrong direction on a street with a ‘no entry’ sign, except for violations specified in point b of this clause and cases of priority vehicles on emergency missions as prescribed ; driving on the sidewalk, except for driving across the sidewalk to enter a house or office. 4-6M + 6 penalty points45. Driving a vehicle onto the highway, except for vehicles used for highway management and maintenance. 4-6M + 4 penalty points46. Failure to comply with traffic light signals. 4-6M + 4 penalty points47. Failure to comply with the lawful orders or instructions of traffic controllers or traffic inspectors. 4-6M + 4 penalty points 48. Not yielding or obstructing priority vehicles that are signalling priority while on duty. 6-8M + 4 penalty points49. Driving a vehicle over the speed limit by more than 20km/h 6-8M + 10 penalty points50. Driving a vehicle with a blood or breath alcohol concentration that exceeds 50-80mg / 100ml blood or 0.25-0.4mg/ litre of breath. 8-10M + Lose license for 10-12 months 51. Causes the vehicle to swerve or zigzag on the road: uses the kickstand or other object to scrape the road while driving. 8-10M + Lose license for 10-12 months52. The act of driving in a group of two or more vehicles exceeding the speed limit. 8-10M + 6 penalty points53. Causing a traffic accident and not stopping the vehicle immediately, not preserving the scene, not assisting the victim, not staying at the scene or not immediately reporting to the nearest police station of People’s Committee. 8-10M + lose license for 22-24 months54. Driving a vehicle with a blood or breath alcohol concentration that exceeds 80mg / 100ml blood or 0.4mg/ litre of breath. 8-10M + lose license for 22-24 months55. Failure to comply with the request for alcohol testing by an officer on duty. 8-10M + lose license for 22-24 months56. Driving a vehicle on the road while under the influence of drugs or other stimulants prohibited by law. 8-10M + lose license for 22-24 months57. Failure to comply with the request for a narcotics or other stimulants prohibited by law test. 8-10M + lose license for 10-12 months58. Controlling the vehicle from the back seat with a passenger in front except when the passenger is under 6 years old. 8-10M + lose license for 10-12 months59. Driving in groups that obstruct traffic, except in cases where permission is granted by a competent authority. 8-10M + lose license for 10-12 months60. Using horns and revving engines continuously in densely populated areas, medical examination and treatment facilities, except for priority vehicles on duty as prescribed. 10-14M + 10 penalty points61. Driving without observing, slowing down or stopping to ensure safety according to regulations, causing a traffic accident; driving at speed exceeding the prescribed speed limit, causing a traffic accident, entering the highway, stopping, parking, turning, reversing, overtaking, changing direction or lanes in violation of regulations, causing a traffic accident; not driving in the correct lane, not keeping a safe distance between two vehicles as prescribed, causing a traffic accident, or entering a road with a sign prohibiting entry for the type of vehicle being driven, driving in the wrong direction on a one-way road, or driving in the wrong direction on a road with a sign ‘no entry’ causing a traffic accident. 10-14M + 10 penalty points62. Violating the regulations in Nos. 1, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 17, 22, 26, 27, 28, 30, 36, 42, 43, 46, 47, 48, 51, 52, 58, 60 and causing a traffic accident. 10-14M + 10 penalty points63. Driving with no hands, using feet to steer, sitting on one side to drive, laying on the seat, changing driver while driving, sitting in the opposite direction of travel, driving with a blindfold. Confiscate the vehicle + lose license for 22-24 months64. Travelling on one wheel of a two-wheeled vehicle, or two wheels of a three-wheeled vehicle. Confiscate the vehicle + lose license for 22-24 months65. Repeated offense of driving in a zigzag manner as prescribed in No 51. Confiscate the vehicle + lose license for 22-24 months 

In Conclusion, yes the fines have raised considerably. We can only hope the changes will improve road safety and at least a percentage of the revenue assigned to road safety education.