Driver faces $1,600 fine for wrong-way driving on northern Vietnam expressway

A 45-year-old driver hailing from Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam was booked for driving in the wrong direction on the Hanoi-Hai Phong Expressway on Thursday afternoon, authorities confirmed the same day. 

As per Government Decree 168, which came into effect on January 1 this year, she faces a fine of VND30-40 million (US$1,200-1,600) and a 10-point deduction from her driver’s license.

Earlier, authorities identified the incident at 3:18 pm when a car with license plate 14C-366.XX was caught traveling in the opposite direction in the lane adjacent to the median barrier.

Through the national vehicle registration system, law enforcement officers quickly traced the car owner and instructed a task force to locate and summon the driver for questioning.

The wrong-way driver P.T.T. is being questioned by a traffic police officer, January 30, 2025. Photo: Supplied

By 4:00 pm the same day, the driver, identified as P.T.T., a native of Quang Ninh’s Quang Yen District, appeared at the police station. 

She admitted to the offense, explaining that she was unfamiliar with the road and mistakenly drove against traffic.

She also pledged not to repeat the offense.

The 105km-long Hanoi-Hai Phong Expressway, passing through four northern localities -- Hanoi, Hung Yen Province, Hai Duong Province, Hai Phong City, features a six-lane roadway and two emergency lanes, with speed limits ranging from 60 to 120kph.

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