From 2025, what is the safe distance between two vehicles when participating in road traffic in Vietnam?

On November 15, 2024, the Minister of Transport of Vietnam issued Circular 38/2024/TT-BGTVT stipulating the speed and safe distance for motor vehicles and specialized motor vehicles participating in road traffic.

This Circular takes effect from January 1, 2025, and replaces Circular 31/2019/TT-BGTVT.

From 2025, what is the safe distance between two vehicles when participating in road traffic in Vietnam?

Based on Article 11 of Circular 31/2019/TT-BGTVT regulating the safe distance between two vehicles when participating in road traffic:

- When operating a vehicle on roads, drivers and operators of specialized motor vehicles must maintain a safe distance from the vehicle immediately ahead in the same lane or same section of road, in the same direction as theirs; where there is a sign indicating "Minimum Distance Between Two Vehicles," the distance maintained must not be less than the value indicated on the sign.

- The safe distance between two vehicles when participating in road traffic:

+ Under conditions of dry road surfaces, no fog, non-slippery roads, flat terrain, straight roads, and clear visibility, the safe distance corresponding to each speed is regulated as follows:

When operating at speeds below 60 km/h, drivers and operators of specialized motor vehicles must proactively maintain a suitable safe distance from the vehicle immediately ahead, depending on the traffic density and actual traffic conditions to ensure traffic safety.

+ In conditions of rain, fog, slippery roads, winding terrain, steep roads, and limited visibility, the driver must adjust the safe distance to be greater than the values indicated on signs or the values mentioned above.

Thus, from January 1, 2025, drivers of vehicles participating in traffic must maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front as follows:

- Under conditions of dry road surfaces, no fog, non-slippery roads, flat terrain, straight roads, and clear visibility, the minimum safe distance is:

+ V = 60 km/h: Safe distance is 35 m;

+ 60 < V ≤ 80: Safe distance is 55 m;

+ 80 < V ≤ 100: Safe distance is 70 m;

+ 100 < V ≤ 120: Safe distance is 100 m.

- In conditions of rain, fog, slippery roads, winding terrain, steep roads, and limited visibility: The safe distance must be adjusted to be greater than the value indicated on signs or the values mentioned above.

Regulations on placing speed limit signs in Vietnam from January 1, 2025

The placement of speed limit signs from January 1, 2025, is carried out according to the regulation in Article 10 of Circular 31/2019/TT-BGTVT as follows:

- The placement of speed limit signs is implemented according to the legal provisions on road signs and must be based on the actual conditions of the road segment or route regarding: road traffic infrastructure, traffic volume, type of vehicles, and time of day.

- The authority with jurisdiction decides on the placement of signs in the following cases:

+ For dual carriageways, place separate maximum speed limit signs for each direction;

+ Place maximum speed limit signs for a specific time of the day (auxiliary signs, electronic signs);

+ Place separate maximum speed limit signs for vehicle types with high traffic safety risks.

- The authorities with jurisdiction to decide on the placement of signs as mentioned above include:

+ Vietnam Road Administration, Vietnam Expressway Administration for expressways managed by the Ministry of Transport of Vietnam;

+ Vietnam Road Administration for expressways managed by enterprises assigned by the State, national roads, and other roads under the management of the Ministry of Transport of Vietnam;

+ Provincial and municipal People’s Committees directly under the Central Government for expressways, national highways, provincial roads, district roads, commune roads, village roads, urban roads, and specialized roads with public traffic activities within their jurisdiction.

- The road management authority with jurisdiction shall lead and collaborate with traffic police forces on the route and district-level People’s Committees where the road section requiring speed limit sign placement is located to consider and decide the permissible speed limit and organize the placement of speed limit signs in the following cases:

+ Roads being exploited within densely populated areas with adverse conditions (one-way roads or two-way roads with a total running width of less than 3.0m and closely linked infrastructure works, limited visibility).

+ Roads being exploited outside densely populated areas belonging to grade IV, V, VI and technical level roads with adverse conditions, having potential traffic safety risks (small radius curves, consecutive curves, steep gradients, limited visibility).

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