On January 30, a representative of the Traffic Police Agency under the Ministry of Public Security stated that the unit had verified recent online claims asserting that sanctions for alcohol-related traffic violations would be raised sharply this year.

These posts refer to Decree 168/2024 issued by the Government, which sets administrative penalties for road traffic violations, including regulations on the deduction and reinstatement of driving license points. Some users have claimed that these regulations will see major adjustments in 2026, particularly in relation to drink-driving violations  - legally referred to as DUI (Driving Under the Influence).

Several platforms have also spread the claim that the fines for DUI  - whether involving motorcycles, cars, or even bicycles  - will be considerably raised.

However, the Traffic Police Agency has confirmed that Decree 168/2024 remains in effect and that there has been no change to the prescribed penalties. The levels of fines for alcohol violations are still being applied as stipulated in the current legal framework, with no increases planned at this time.

Current penalties for DUI violations are as follows:

For cars:

Blood alcohol content (BAC) not exceeding 50 mg/100 ml of blood or 0.25 mg/l of breath:
   Fine of USD 240–320; 4 license points deducted
BAC over 50 mg to 80 mg/100 ml of blood or over 0.25 mg to 0.4 mg/l of breath:
   Fine of USD 720–800; 10 license points deducted
BAC over 80 mg/100 ml of blood or over 0.4 mg/l of breath:
   Fine of USD 1,200–1,600; driving license suspended for 22–24 months

For motorcycles:

BAC not exceeding 50 mg/100 ml of blood or 0.25 mg/l of breath:
   Fine of USD 80–120; 4 license points deducted
BAC over 50 mg to 80 mg/100 ml of blood or over 0.25 mg to 0.4 mg/l of breath:
   Fine of USD 240–320; 10 license points deducted
BAC over 80 mg/100 ml of blood or over 0.4 mg/l of breath:
   Fine of USD 320–400; driving license suspended for 22–24 months

For bicycles:

BAC not exceeding 50 mg/100 ml of blood or 0.25 mg/l of breath:
   Fine of USD 4–8
BAC over 50 mg to 80 mg/100 ml of blood or over 0.25 mg to 0.4 mg/l of breath:
   Fine of USD 12–16
BAC over 80 mg/100 ml of blood or over 0.4 mg/l of breath:
   Fine of USD 16–24
For specialized motorbikes (e.g. used in agriculture or construction):

BAC not exceeding 50 mg/100 ml of blood or 0.25 mg/l of breath:
   Fine of USD 120–200
BAC over 50 mg to 80 mg/100 ml of blood or over 0.25 mg to 0.4 mg/l of breath:
   Fine of USD 240–320
BAC over 80 mg/100 ml of blood or over 0.4 mg/l of breath:
   Fine of USD 640–720

Dinh Hieu