Vietnam exempts taxis from child-seat rule under revised traffic law

The National Assembly passed the bill with 425 of 433 votes as part of a package revising 10 laws related to security and public order.

Under the amended traffic law, drivers carrying children under 10 years old and under 1.35 meters tall must not place them in the same row as the driver, except in cars with a single row of seats. 

Private cars must use suitable child-safety devices, but commercial passenger vehicles, including taxis, buses, fixed-route services and ride-hailing cars, are exempt.

The government said the exemption reflects the operational conditions of urban transport services.

The measure will now take effect on July 1, 2026, instead of January 1, 2026.

The legislation also requires freight vehicles, tractor trucks, ambulances and passenger vehicles to install journey-monitoring systems and cameras recording drivers, while vehicles with eight seats or more must install passenger-cabin cameras. 

Government data show about 121,000 large passenger vehicles and 300,000 freight and small passenger vehicles fall under the new rules.

Cameras will record only location, speed and driver behavior in compliance with data-protection laws, the government said.

The amended traffic law also removes existing limits capping total driving time at 10 hours per day and 48 hours per week. 

Drivers may operate for a maximum of four consecutive hours, with total working time governed by the Labor Code.