What is the safe distance between 2 vehicles participating in road traffic in Vietnam? What are the fines for not keeping a minimum safe distance in Vietnam?

What is the safe distance between 2 vehicles participating in road traffic in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 11 of the Circular 31/2019/TT-BGTVT stipulating the safe distance between 2 vehicles participating in road traffic in Vietnam:

(1) In dry road conditions:

- For speed is 60 (km/h), the minimum safe distance is 35m

- For speed is from 60 - 80 (km/h), the minimum safe distance is 55m

- For speed is from 80 - 100 (km/h), the minimum safe distance is 75m

- For speed is from 100 - 120 (km/h), the minimum safe distance is 100m

(2) With respect to rain, fog, slippery road, roads with hairpin turns, steep slopes or limited vision: The operator must adjust the safe distance value to be greater than that displayed on the sign or the value in dry road conditions.

What is the safe distance between 2 vehicles participating in road traffic in Vietnam? What are the fines for not keeping a minimum safe distance in Vietnam? - image from internet

What are the fines for not keeping a minimum safe distance in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Clauses 3.l, 5.g, 11.c and 7.a, Article 5 of the Decree 100/2019/ND-CP (amended by Clause 34.dd Article 2 of the Decree 123/2021/ND-CP):

Penalties imposed upon operators of cars and car-like vehicles violating traffic rules

...

3. A fine ranging from VND 800,000 to VND 1,000,000 shall be imposed upon a vehicle operator who commits any of the following violations:

...

l) Causing a collision with the vehicle ahead due to failure to keep a safe distance; failure to keep the safe distance in accordance with the “Cự ly tối thiểu giữa hai xe” (Safety distance) sign, except for the violations specified in Point g Clause 5 of this Article;

...

5. A fine ranging from VND 4,000,000 to VND 6,000,000 shall be imposed upon a vehicle operator who commits any of the following violations:

...

g) Failure to obey the rules when entering or leaving the freeway; going in the emergency lane or on the shoulder of the freeway; changing lanes on a freeway at inappropriate positions or without signals; failure to keep a safe following distance on the freeway;

...

7. A fine ranging from VND 10,000,000 to VND 12,000,000 shall be imposed upon a vehicle operator who commits any of the following violations:

a) Failure to observe, operating the vehicle exceeding speed limit thus causing accidents; stopping, parking, making a u-turn, backing, avoiding, overtaking, changing direction or changing lanes against regulations and law causing accidents; failure to operate in correct sections, lanes, failure to maintain safety distance between 2 vehicles as per the law thus causing accidents or entering roads erected with signs prohibiting entry of operated vehicles, going against traffic direction on one-way roads or on roads erected with “Cấm đi ngược chiều” (No entry) signs causing accidents, except for violations specified in Point a Clause 8 of this Article;

...

11. Apart from incurring fines, the violating operator shall also incur the following additional penalties:

...

c) The violation(s) specified in Point c Clause 5; Points a and b Clause 6; Clause 7 of this Article shall lead to suspension of driving license from 2 months to 4 months. Committing violation(s) specified in Points a, d, dd, e and g of Clause 1; Points b, d and g of Clause 2; Points b, g, h, m, n, r and s of Clause 3; Points a, c, e, g and h of Clause 4; Points a, b, e, g and h Clause 5 of this Article and causing accidents shall lead to suspension of driving license from 2 months to 4 months;

...

As regulated above, the fines for not keeping a minimum safe distance in Vietnam are as follows:

- The operators shall face a fine ranging from VND 800,000 to VND 1,000,000 for causing a collision with the vehicle ahead due to failure to keep a safe distance; failure to keep the safe distance in accordance with the “Cự ly tối thiểu giữa hai xe” (Safety distance) sign.

- The operators shall face a fine ranging from VND 4,000,000 to VND 6,000,000 for failure to keep a safe following distance on the freeway.

- The operators shall face a fine ranging from VND 10,000,000 to VND 12,000,000 for failure to maintain safety distance between 2 vehicles as per the law.

What are cases in which a vehicle operator participating in road traffic must slow down to a stop safely in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 5 of the Circular 31/2019/TT-BGTVT, a vehicle operator participating in road traffic must slow down to a stop safely in the 12 following cases:

- He/she encounters a warning sign or obstacle on the road; or

- He/she changes in travel direction or has limited vision; or

- He/she arrives at an at-grade intersection; at a level crossing; at a road curve; at a road with hairpin turns or steep slopes; at a narrow or bumpy road; or

- He/she crosses a narrow bridge or culvert; crosses an overflowing damp, underground or tunnel; reaches near the peak of a slope, when descending it; or

- He/she passes an area with schools, hospitals, bus stations, crowded public constructions; an area with large population, with factory or office situated along the road; road construction sites; traffic accident scene; or

- He/she approaches a pedestrian or a person with disability confined to a wheelchair crossing the road; or

- He/she encounters livestock walking or herded along the road; or

- He/she avoids a vehicle from the opposite direction or gives way to a vehicle behind; receives a turn signal or an emergency flasher of a leading vehicle;

- He/she approaches a bus stop or a parking spot with passengers getting on or off of a vehicle; or

- He/she encounters a prioritized vehicle on a mission; a heavy transport vehicle; pedestrians; or

- He/she operates the vehicle in the rain, fog, dust; on slippery, muddy road or road with lots of scattered rocks and debris;

- He/she controls the vehicle through vehicle weigh stations, police stations or tollbooths for road vehicles.

Best regards!