At the ministry's third-quarter 2026 press conference, Le Kim Thanh, Director General of the Department of Transport and Traffic Safety, said specialized agencies had been instructed to improve traffic management and install additional signs on expressways to help drivers understand and comply with regulations.

According to Thanh, following instructions from Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Tuc at a meeting reviewing safe following-distance requirements for road vehicles, the ministry has been implementing several measures, including a pilot enforcement program on selected expressways.

The Traffic Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security has submitted a list of roads and areas where the pilot program is expected to be introduced.

The Vietnam Road Administration is coordinating with regional road management authorities, local construction departments and relevant agencies to install distance markers, provide guidance and notify organizations and the public before enforcement begins.

The Ministry of Construction is also reviewing existing regulations on speed limits and safe following distances to determine whether Circular 38 needs to be amended.

Public awareness campaigns will focus on situations involving heightened accident risks, including heavy traffic, adverse weather conditions and sudden braking by vehicles ahead.

In addition, the ministry plans to update driver training curricula, placing greater emphasis on maintaining safe following distances.

Speed and following-distance violations linked to 18% of accidents

Thanh said road traffic accidents remain a serious concern.

During the first nine months of 2026, an average of 26.54 people died in traffic accidents each day.

The total number of road traffic fatalities in 2026 is projected to remain below 10,000.

According to the Ministry of Construction representative, speed and safe following distances are major factors contributing to road traffic accidents, accounting for approximately 18% on average.

As vehicle speed increases, the distance required to slow down and come to a complete stop also increases.

Heavier vehicles, which carry greater kinetic energy, generally require longer braking distances than passenger cars.

Drivers must therefore maintain appropriate following distances based on their speed and prevailing traffic conditions.

Regulations governing vehicle speeds and safe following distances have been in place for years through various ministerial circulars, including Circulars 13, 31 and 38.

Penalties for violations are stipulated in the Government's Decree 168.

Thanh emphasized that complying with speed limits and safe following-distance regulations is the responsibility of every road user, helping reduce accidents and promote a safer traffic culture.

The installation of road signs, visual guidance and advance announcements of pilot enforcement locations is expected to help drivers adjust their behavior and improve expressway safety.

Hanoi tightens vehicle inspections, increases checks on sleeper buses

The Hanoi Department of Construction has issued a directive aimed at strengthening and improving the quality of motor vehicle inspections across the city.

The move seeks to minimize errors in the inspection process and ensure accurate assessments of vehicles' technical conditions.

Under the directive, vehicle inspection centers must ensure that equipment and inspection lines operate reliably, with maintenance and calibration carried out in accordance with regulations.

Equipment found to be inaccurate must not be used.

Inspection procedures must also be reviewed and clearly displayed to ensure consistent implementation.

Vehicle inspectors are required to follow every inspection step without omitting any mandatory checks.

Assessments must reflect vehicles' actual technical conditions and comply with national technical standard QCVN 122:2024/BGTVT.

The department has ordered stricter inspections of passenger vehicles with more than eight seats, excluding the driver's seat, particularly long-distance coaches and sleeper buses, as well as trucks weighing more than seven tonnes.

Managers of inspection centers are responsible for supervising inspection activities and ensuring the quality of their operations.

The Hanoi Department of Construction will increase on-site inspections of vehicle testing lines while monitoring inspection activities through surveillance camera systems.

Violations will be strictly handled in accordance with regulations.

Vu Diep