What are penalties for not turning on motorcycle lights at night in 2025 in Vietnam according to Decree 168?

When must motorcycle operators in Vietnam turn on lights when participating in road traffic?

According to Article 20 of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety 2024 regarding the use of lights:

Article 20. Use of lights

1. Motorcycle operators and operators of specialized motorcycles participating in road traffic must turn on front lights from 6:00 PM of the previous day to 6:00 AM of the following day or when fog, smoke, dust, rain, or bad weather limits visibility.

2. Motorcycle operators and operators of specialized motorcycles must turn off high beams and turn on low beams in the following cases:

a) When encountering pedestrians crossing the road;

b) When traveling on road sections through densely populated areas with active street lighting systems;

c) When encountering oncoming vehicles, except in cases where the median has an anti-glare capability;

d) When turning at intersections.

3. Motorcycle operators and operators of specialized motorcycles working on roads must have warning yellow lights on.

Thus, motorcycle operators participating in road traffic must turn on the front lights from 6:00 PM of the previous day to 6:00 AM of the following day or when fog, smoke, dust, rain, or bad weather limits visibility.

What are penalties for not turning on motorcycle lights at night in 2025 in Vietnam according to Decree 168?

According to Clause 1, Article 7 of Decree 168/2024/ND-CP regulating penalties and point deductions for drivers of motorcycles, mopeds, and similar vehicles violating road traffic rules:

Article 7. Penalties and point deductions for drivers of motorcycles, mopeds, and similar vehicles violating road traffic rules

1. A fine of 200,000 VND to 400,000 VND for drivers committing one of the following violations:

a) Not complying with the orders and instructions of traffic signs and road markings, except violations specified at Point b, Point d, Point e Clause 2; Points a, c, d, h Clause 3; Points a, b, c, d Clause 4; Points b, d Clause 6; Points a, b, c Clause 7; Point a Clause 8; Point b Clause 9; Point a Clause 10 of this Article;

b) Failing to signal before overtaking or using an overtaking signal but not using it throughout the overtaking process;

c) Reversing a three-wheeled motorcycle without observing both sides and the rear or without a reversing signal;

d) Carrying passengers using umbrellas;

dd) Not complying with regulations on yielding at intersections, except violations specified at Point c, d Clause 6 of this Article;

e) Changing lanes not at designated points or without prior signals or changing lanes contrary to the rule “each time only one adjacent lane may be changed”;

g) Not using lights from 6:00 PM of the previous day to 6:00 AM of the following day or when fog, smoke, dust, rain, or bad weather limits visibility;

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Thus, the fine for not turning on motorcycle lights at night (from 6:00 PM of the previous day to 6:00 AM of the following day or when fog, smoke, dust, rain, or bad weather limits visibility) is from 200,000 VND to 400,000 VND.

Must motorcycle operators in Vietnam turn on lights when driving in tunnels?

According to Article 26 of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety 2024, drivers of vehicles participating in road traffic while driving in tunnels must follow these road traffic rules:

Article 26. Traffic in tunnels

Drivers of vehicles participating in road traffic while driving in tunnels must follow these road traffic rules:

1. Motor vehicles and specialized motorcycles must use low beams; rudimentary vehicles must have lights or luminous signaling objects;

2. Do not stop or park vehicles in tunnels; if there is a technical fault or other force majeure that requires stopping or parking, the driver or operator of the specialized motorcycle must move the vehicle to emergency stopping or parking positions, if it cannot be moved, emergency lights and warning signs must be placed behind the vehicle at a safe distance. Quickly report to the traffic police agency responsible for ensuring traffic order and safety on the route or the tunnel management agency;

3. Other road traffic rules as prescribed in this Chapter.

Thus, according to the above regulation, motorcycle operators driving in tunnels are required to turn on low beams.

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