VietNamNet Bridge – Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang has asked the Government to allow the ministry to administer drivers fines for administrative violations.

A traffic police officer requires a truck to weigh its cargo in Ha Noi. Traffic regulation violators will face stricter fines starting March 15 if the Ministry of Transport's proposal is approved.

With stricter punishments expected to take effect on March 15, if the proposal gets Government approval, the ministry aims to reduce traffic accidents nationwide and protect road infrastructure.

Thang, also deputy chairman of the National Committee for Traffic Safety, said vehicle owners who refused to co-operate with traffic police could have their vehicles locked or moved to a concentrated area. The vehicle owners or drivers would be responsible for paying parking fees.

Lorry drivers must pay VND25 million (US$1,200) in fines and their licences will be seized for 12 months if they are found in possession of 150 per cent of the amount they're legally allowed to carry.

Other vehicles violating traffic laws will be charged VND40 million ($1,900). If fines aren't paid, vehicles will be towed. The fines will double (VND80 million) for vehicles owned by a company, social enterprise or other organisation.

The National Committee for Traffic Safety officially asked the Government if it could confiscate motorbikes and electric bicycles being driven on expressways designed only for cars. The Government is still considering the proposal.

Car drivers will be fined from VND8 million ($370) to 15 million ($700) and driving license will be seized for six months if they are found with a blood alcohol concentration of 50mg/100ml.

Drivers must pay VND15 million to 20 million in fines, their vehicles will be seized and their licences will be taken away for 12 months if their blood alcohol content measures 50-80mg/100ml.

Motorbike drivers will be fined VND4 million to 5 million and their licences will be seized for 12 months for 50-80mg/100ml.

Since March 2014, more than 80,000 buses and container trucks have been fitted with black boxes, which collect data on traffic violations. However, the Ministry of Transport's Road General Department has received data from 70 per cent of total black box-installed buses, it reported.

Nguyen Van Quyen, deputy director of the Road Administration, said many drivers deliberately broke black boxes to avoid police inspections.

The city and provincial transport departments have officially asked local passenger-bus trading enterprises to re-examine and re-install their black boxes. From March 2014 to January 2015, transport departments from 46 among 63 cities and provinces nation-wide have strictly punished violators misusing black boxes.

The cities and provinces imposing punishments include HCM City, Binh Phuoc and Ba Ria-Vung Tau in the south; Thanh Hoa, Nghe An and Binh Dinh in the centre; Tuyen Quang in the north; the Tay Nguyen (Central Highland) province of Lam Dong; Da Nang City; and Hung Yen Province.

Khuat Viet Hung, head of the National Committee for Traffic Safety, said the black boxes lacked the capability of warning those on board of a problem. He added that the ministry needed to install an equipment system designed to locate the violating vehicles' positions.

The National Committee for Traffic Safety reported that 4,115 traffic accidents occurred over the past two months, killing 1,567 people and injuring 3,771 others.

VNS