Notable Proposals in the Latest Draft of the New Road Traffic Order and Safety Law

Proposal to Change Driver’s License Ratings

According to Article 39 of the New Draft Law on Order, Traffic Safety and Road Traffic, driver’s licenses will include the following ratings:

In addition, people with disabilities who operate three-wheeled motorcycles for people with disabilities will be issued Class A2 licenses. People with disabilities who operate cars with control systems suitable for their disability conditions will be issued Class B licenses.

Under the current Road Traffic Law 2008, driver’s licenses are divided into classes A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B2, C, D, E, FB2, FD, FE, FC. Therefore, if the new proposal is passed, there will no longer be Class A1 and B1 driver’s licenses.

Proposal to Present Documents Integrated on VNeID App

According to Article 38 of the New Draft Law on Order, Traffic Safety and Road Traffic, when driving, drivers must carry the following documents:

• Vehicle registration certificate;
• Driver’s license appropriate for the type of vehicle being operated;
• Certificate of technical safety and environmental protection inspection for motor vehicles as prescribed by law;
• Certificate of compulsory civil liability insurance for motor vehicle owners as prescribed by law.

In the case of drivers of specialized motorcycles, they must have a license or certificate for operating specialized motorcycles appropriate for the type of specialized motorcycle being operated, and one of the types of driver’s licenses specified in Article 39 of the Draft Law, or a certificate of legal knowledge training in road traffic. When driving, drivers of specialized motorcycles must carry the following documents:

• Vehicle registration certificate;
• License or certificate for operating and driver’s license or certificate of legal knowledge training in road traffic;
• Certificate of technical safety and environmental protection inspection for specialized motorcycles as prescribed by law;
• Certificate of compulsory civil liability insurance as prescribed by law.

In the case that the information of the above-mentioned documents has been synchronized with the VNeID digital identity account, drivers of vehicles are not required to carry the aforementioned documents. In addition, motorcycle riders participating in road traffic must meet the age and health requirements as prescribed.

Proposal for Police to Stop Vehicles in 4 Cases

Article 55 of the New Draft Law on Order, Traffic Safety and Road Traffic states that Traffic Police are allowed to stop vehicles participating in road traffic to check in the following cases:

1. When discovering or having grounds to determine a violation of the law.

2. Violations of the law on order and road traffic safety that require vehicles to be stopped for direct inspection.

3. A written request from an authorized agency to stop vehicles for control to ensure security, order, disaster prevention, fire prevention, rescue, epidemic prevention, and control.

4. Information, accusations, reports, or recommendations from organizations or individuals about crimes or violations of the law.

Compared to the current regulations, the cases in which Traffic Police are allowed to stop vehicles have new points such as stopping for disaster prevention, fire prevention, rescue, epidemic prevention and control, and for accusations of crimes or violations of the law.

Proposal for Turning Off High Beams and Turning On Low Beams in 4 Cases

Unnecessary use of high beams is a problem that causes frustration and even compromises road safety. Therefore, the New Draft Law on Order, Traffic Safety and Road Traffic proposes 4 cases in which drivers must turn off high beams and turn on low beams as follows:

– Drivers and riders of specialized motorcycles participating in road traffic between 7 pm of the previous day and 5 am of the following day or when there is fog, smoke, dust, rain, or inclement weather that reduces visibility must turn on the following lights:

• Front lighting is either low beams or high beams;
• Rear license plate illumination;
• Position lamps provided in the vehicle’s design.

– Drivers and riders of specialized motorcycles must turn off high beams and turn on low beams in the following cases:

• When encountering pedestrians crossing the road;
• When driving on road sections through residential areas with installed and operating street lighting systems;
• When encountering oncoming vehicles;
• When making a turn at an intersection.

– Drivers and riders of specialized motorcycles must turn on yellow warning lights when performing road work.

Proposal for Cases in which Driver’s Licenses are Invalid

Article 5 of the New Draft Law on Order, Traffic Safety and Road Traffic states that driver’s licenses will be invalid in the following cases:

• Driver’s licenses that are subject to the withdrawal of driving privileges;
• Expired driver’s licenses;
• Driver’s licenses that have been revoked as stipulated in Article 4 of Article 43 of the Draft Law.

Proposal to Restrict Children from Sitting in the Front Seat of a Car

According to the proposal in the New Draft Law on Order, Traffic Safety and Road Traffic, children under 10 years old or with a height below 1.35 meters are not allowed to sit in the front seat of a passenger car when participating in road traffic. In addition, children under 4 years old must be carried in specially designed seats for children (except for passenger transport vehicles as prescribed by road traffic laws). Drivers are responsible for checking and instructing the use of seat belts for children.

Proposal to Give Way to Pedestrians and Wheelchairs of Disabled Persons at Crosswalks

The New Draft Law on Order, Traffic Safety and Road Traffic proposes the following regulations:

– On roads with marked crosswalks or other signals for pedestrians, drivers must observe and reduce speed or stop to give way to pedestrians and wheelchairs of disabled persons crossing the road.

– On roads without marked crosswalks for pedestrians, drivers must observe and, if they see pedestrians or wheelchairs of disabled persons crossing or signaling to cross the road, reduce speed or stop to give way.

Inclusion of Regulations on Lane Usage

The New Draft Law on Order, Traffic Safety and Road Traffic includes 2 regulations on lane usage:

– On lanes designated for a particular type of vehicle, drivers of other types of vehicles are not allowed to enter that lane. Only priority vehicles can enter priority lanes.

– On two-way roads with two or more lanes in one direction, vehicles participating in road traffic in one direction are not allowed to enter the lanes of the opposite direction.