Traffic laws violators surprised by heavy fines under new Government Decree

Decree No. 168/2024/ND-CP, which regulates the imposition of administrative fines for violations of traffic laws, aims to strengthen road traffic safety measures and improve public awareness of complying with traffic laws.

The regulations include increasing fines for certain violations, particularly those that cause traffic accidents, such as running red lights, driving in the wrong direction, violating alcohol limits, not wearing helmets, and other actions that pose high risks of accidents.

Notably, the decree also introduces a point deduction and restoration system for driving licenses to deter violations and encourage compliance with traffic rules.

On January 1 morning, the Traffic Police of Hanoi implemented a variety of communication, guidance, and enforcement measures to raise awareness and encourage voluntary compliance among road users.

At the Hai Ba Trung – Phan Boi Chau intersection, most people adhered to the regulations, especially stopping at red lights at the correct line. Many expressed support for the new fines, agreeing that tougher penalties for certain violations are necessary to ensure road safety.

“The new decree is very reasonable, and I hope it spreads to many people to help ensure road safety. I’ve noticed many people running red lights recently, which causes serious accidents. I hope the new regulations will improve awareness and ensure safety for everyone,” a local resident told VOV.

However, the Road Traffic Police Team No. 1 caught a few rare violations, such as driving in the wrong direction, not wearing a helmet, or failing to obey traffic light signals.

Nguyen Nhat Trung, a student from Hoang Mai district, was surprised by the fine levels after being fined for driving in the wrong direction.

“I wasn’t paying attention to the wrong direction signs because I was focused on the road. I’ll learn from this and pay more attention to signs before moving forward. The fine seems high for me since I don’t have much money,” said Trung.

Also in the morning, the traffic police discovered a woman failing to obey traffic signals at Cua Nam Flower Garden. After reviewing the evidence, the police stopped her at the next intersection to process the fine.

“The light was yellow, and I thought I could go…. I haven’t updated myself with the traffic laws, and today is my first violation, so I didn’t realize the fine would be quite high. I hope you’ll give me a warning for this first-time offense so I can learn from it,” explained the woman.

For those who do not cooperate or deny their violations, Lieutenant Colonel Phung Duc Hieu from the Road Traffic Police Team No. 1 said the police provide video and image evidence to ensure fairness and transparency in handling the situation.

“We will strictly enforce the laws for those who deliberately violate the rules. Today, we processed two cases of driving in the wrong direction and not obeying traffic signals. These violations are dangerous and the new fines are much higher to address the risk they pose to everyone on the road,” stated Hieu.

According to the Traffic Police Department, nearly 13,600 violations were detected and processed on the first day of 2025 nationwide, with fines totaling an estimated VND27.98 billion. In addition, 82 cars, 4,050 motorcycles, and 111 other vehicles were temporarily seized, while 2,603 driving licenses were revoked.

In Hanoi, the Traffic Police processed nearly 200 violations on January 1, with an estimated fine of nearly VND400 million VND and 38 vehicles seized. Most of the lawbreakers did not wear helmets, ignored traffic lights, drove under the influence of alcohol, and drove in the wrong direction.