Traffic Police and Traffic Inspectors: What's the Difference?

According to the regulations in Clause 2, Article 15 of Circular 02/2014/TT-BGTVT, traffic inspectors are permitted to stop road vehicles when they detect the following signs as stipulated:

- Exceeding the allowable load of bridges and roads;

- Exceeding the allowable dimensions of bridges and roads;

- Directly traveling on the road with tracked vehicles without implementing road protection measures as prescribed;

- Illegally dumping soil, building materials, and other waste onto the road or into the road safety corridor.

This means that apart from the four aforementioned cases, traffic inspectors may only stop vehicles when accompanied by traffic police or other police forces.

However, according to Directive 11/CT-BGTVT of 2014, in cases where the police force has not sufficiently staffed the mobile vehicle weight inspection stations, the Department of Transport shall direct the Department Inspectorate to increase the number of inspectors to operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to stop vehicles, issue infraction notices, and penalize according to their authority for violations.

Under Clause 2, Article 12 of Circular 01/2016/TT-BCA, traffic police officers on patrol and control duty are authorized to stop vehicles for inspection in the following cases:

- Directly detect or through technical and professional equipment detect and record violations of road traffic laws;

- Execute orders and patrol plans, and control from the Head of the Traffic Police Department or the Director of Provincial Police or higher levels;

- Implement plans for patrolling, controlling, and handling violations, ensuring traffic order and safety from the Head of the Road Traffic Patrol and Control Department of the Traffic Police Department, the Head of the Traffic Police Department, or higher levels;

- Written request from the Head or Deputy Head of investigative agencies; a written request from related functional agencies to stop vehicles for inspection to ensure security, order, and combat crime and other law violations. The written request must specify the time, route, vehicle to be stopped for inspection, handling, and coordinating personnel;

- Reports or denunciations of legal violations by people and vehicles participating in traffic.

Both traffic inspectors and traffic police have the authority to stop vehicles in circulation to issue fines.

Therefore, traffic inspectors can only stop vehicles for administrative checks in cases where administrative violations affecting road works (overloading, illegal parking causing traffic obstructions...) have been detected as mentioned above.

Meanwhile, traffic police have the authority to stop vehicles to conduct administrative checks in cases where administrative violations affecting traffic order and safety (running red lights, speeding...) have been detected.

Sincerely!