In Vietnam, traffic congestion is always a problem in major cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. By habit, people often turn right when encountering a red light. So, is this act legal?
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Hanoi-Vietnam: Is it permissible to turn right at the red light? (Illustrative image)
Anyone participating in traffic knows that when encountering a red light, one must stop the vehicle. This is a mandatory rule to keep in mind when on the road. However, there are 3 exceptions where citizens are allowed to turn right at a red light:
- When there is a traffic police officer's command;
- When signal lights or supplementary priority signs allow a right turn;
- When there is a lane configured to allow vehicles to move at a red light.
Thus, except for these cases, traffic participants are not allowed to turn right at a red light. However, in Ho Chi Minh City, people still "freely" turn right without the exceptional signs. This is considered a violation of road traffic laws and will be penalized according to Decree 100/2019/ND-CP.
The penalty for vehicle operators failing to comply with the traffic lights is listed in the table below:
| Type of Vehicle | Fine (VND) | Additional Penalty |
| Cars, trucks (and other similar vehicles) |
3,000,000 – 5,000,000 | suspension from use of driving license for 1 - 3 months |
| Motorcycles, mopeds, electric bikes | 600,000 – 1,000,000 | suspension from use of driving license for 1 - 3 months |
| Tractors, specialized motor vehicles | 1,000,000 – 2,000,000 | suspension from use of driving license for 1 - 3 months |
| Bicycles, electric bicycles | 100,000 – 200,000 |
Compared to Decree 46/2016/ND-CP, this fine has almost doubled. Although the current sanctions are somewhat stricter, the situation of unauthorized right turns at red lights still frequently occurs on the roads.
In a densely populated city with perennial traffic jams like Ho Chi Minh City, there are still exceptions that allow vehicles to turn right even at a red light. This is one of the effective measures to help alleviate traffic congestion but does not mean vehicles are permitted to run the red light to turn right in all circumstances. Due to the initial permission from the competent authorities, citizens gradually assume that it is allowed to turn right when encountering a red light. This has become a common habit among many traffic participants in major cities. Legally, this is an illegal act; however, practically, this behavior helps to flexibly address and reduce traffic jams during peak hours. Therefore, in many cases, the authorities implicitly permit right turns at red lights.
Thus, from a legal perspective, turning right at a red light is allowed when encountering one of the exceptions mentioned above. Outside of these cases, if the vehicle operator does not comply with the traffic signal, they can be fined up to 5,000,000 VND according to Decree 100/2019/ND-CP.
Phuong Thanh
- Key word:
- turn right at the red light
- Vietnam
