Vietnam road rules for new motorbike riders

Vietnam is the second largest of motorcycle ownership in the world after Taiwan, so the traffic is really chaotic, especially in major cities such as Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City. That’s why the traffic law, especially Vietnam road rules are extremely strict and every motorbike rider is forced to comply with these rules. As the saying goes, ‘When in Rome, do as the Roman do’ and some road rules in Vietnam sound strange to international travelers when coming to Vietnam but you have no way but to obey it if you don’t want to be pulled over by traffic police. Chungxe will help you avoid uncomfortable experience by listing out some road rules in Vietnam that are usually ignored by most foreigners.

1. Wearing helmet is a must-do

This Vietnam road rules might be uncommon in other countries where motorbike is one of the main means of transport, but surprisingly it has been implemented in Vietnam for over 10 years. Not only do this item protect you from the sudden rain pour or the heating ray of the sun, but it also save your life in case of traffic accident and minimize your injury. Tourists coming to Vietnam for the first time assume that they just need to wear helmet for long-distance, backpacking or trekking trips. Surprisingly, even when you ride the motorbike in the urban, wearing helmet is also mandatory. Also, don’t forget to fasten the chin strap belt.

According to the latest amended version of Vietnam Traffic Law, you will be fined about 100,000 – 200,000 VND (4.35 – 8.7 USD) if you do not either wear the helmet or forget to fasten your chin strap belt. Although the amount of fine is not so considerable but this can make you irritated and less fancy during your itinerary.

2. Do not use self-assembly or self-produced motorbike

Some travelers does not make sense that they are violating this fault. This usually happens when you want to buy a second-hand motorbike but unfortunately it is self-assembly with a lot of used segments and it has not been registered, for sure. When you are pulled over by the police, if you fail to prove the motorbike you are riding is eligible by presenting some paperwork such as motorbike registration paper, your vehicle and driving license will be confiscated and you will be fined about 800,000 – 1,000,000 VND (~34.78 – 43.48 USD).

To avoid violating Vietnam road rules, instead of buying a second-hand motorbike, you can rent one. With a wide network of partners, Chungxe offers motorbike rental service throughout Vietnam with various models (semi automatic, automatic and manual transmission). To avoid being victimized by this scam, you should consider this option.

3. Always check your speed limit

In terms of motorbike ride, following Vietnam road rules, the permitted limit is 40 km/h for traveling in urban area and 60km/h on highways and rural roads. In some special terrains, there a sign along the road to tell you which specific speed limit you are allowed to ride. In recent years, Vietnam police control this penalty very strictly. They can recognize your penalty by setting up checkpoints with radar guns and camera these days.

If your speed is higher than the allowed rate, you are definitely fined. The amount of fine can vary in each case as follow:

• From 100,000 to 200,000 VND (4.35 – 8.7 USD) if your speed is 5km/h to below 10km/h higher than the limited rate.
• From 500,000 to 1,000,000 VND (21.74 – 43.5 USD) if your speed is 10km/h to 20km/h higher than the limited rate.
• From 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 VND (87 – 130.43 USD) if your speed is above 20km/h higher than the limited rate.

4. Do not ride after using alcohol

Riding/driving after drinking is a painful problem in Vietnam and the police have been stepped u their effort to curb it. As there are more and more serious accidents caused by drunk drivers/riders, strict punishment has been implemented for this penalty. If the police recognize that you are drunk, they will pull you over and use breathalyser to measure your blood alcohol content.

Penalty amount for this violations is clarified in details:

• If your alcohol content ranges from 50 – 80 mg/100 ml of blood or 0.25 – 0.4mg/l of air, you have to pay a fine of 500,000 – 1,000,000 VND (~21.74 – 43.5 USD). If traffic accident occurs, your motorbike is confiscated in 7 days and so is your driving license in 2 months.
• If your alcohol content exceeds 80 mg/ 100ml of blood or 0.4mg/l of air, you have to pay a fine of 2,000,000 – 3,000,000 (~87 – 130.43 USD) . Simultaneously, your motorbike is confiscated in 7 days and 2 months for driving license even when you do not cause any accidents.

5. Riding on the right side

If you are from a country where people ride on the left side, this would be an obstacle for you. You may feel puzzled for the first time but you have no alternatives as riding on the opposite direction can also be fined, following the official Vietnam road rules

According to Circular no.46/2016/ND-CP, you are forced to pay a fine of 300,000 – 400,000 (~13.04 – 17.4 USD) for riding on the opposite lane.

6. You are not allowed to weave

One of the most annoying kinds of driver you will see on the roads in Vietnam is the guys doing wild zig-zags in heavy traffic. Not surprisingly, it is illegal to do so. The problem for everyone else is that the law simply says that swaying is prohibited but it is a vague term. For the sake of your safety, try to avoid riding like you are a slalom racer.

Clearly, you can’t avoid being fined if you weave when driving. What’s more, penalty for this violations is pretty high, ranging from 5,000,000 – 7,000,0000 VND (~217.39 – 304.35 USD). Terribly, you can be fined 10,000,000 – 14,000,000 VND (~434,78 – 608.7 USD) if the traffic accident is caused by you. Also, your driving license use right is terminated in 2 to 4 months and your 2-wheel-vehicle can be confiscated from 5 to 7 days.

7. Do not pull or push other vehicle

This one is kind of sad, actually. You see a friend on the side of the road and their bike is out of gas or something else is wrong with it. Like the decent human being you are, you offer to push them to the nearest repair shop. Then you will definitely be pulled over and a penalty amount is unavoidable. You can be forced to pay 300,000 – 400,000 VND (~13.04 – 17.39 USD) for this violation.