Vietnamese drivers still use phones on expressways despite heavy fines

From December 15, 2024 to June 14, 2025, highway traffic police inspected more than 180,000 vehicles and documented 126 cases of drivers using hand-held phones while driving, according to the Ministry of Public Security's Traffic Police Department.

Of those violations, 71 involved passenger buses.

The penalty for using a mobile phone while driving cars and similar vehicles is VND4–6 million (US$153–230), along with a deduction of four points from the driver's license.

Vietnamese driver's licences carry 12 demerit points. 

Once all points are deducted, drivers are banned from operating vehicles for six months.

Points reset after 12 violation-free months.

On June 14, officers pulled over a truck and found a 48-year-old driver from Nghe An Province using his phone while behind the wheel. 

He received a VND5 million ($191) fine and a four-point deduction.

In a statement, police said using mobile phones while driving on highways is extremely dangerous. 

It causes reduced concentration, slows reaction times, and greatly increases the likelihood of serious accidents.

Authorities urged drivers to avoid using hand-held phones altogether. 

In urgent situations, drivers should stop at designated rest areas and use hands-free devices if necessary.

The mobile phone violations were recorded as part of a broader traffic enforcement campaign that uncovered 28,175 violations over the mentioned six-month period.

These included 1,794 cases of drivers not wearing seat belts, 721 incidents of storing goods in passenger compartments, and 345 cases of carrying more passengers than allowed.

During the same campaign, police suspended 7,322 licenses, impounded 595 vehicles, and issued demerit points in 5,916 cases.

Separately, officers inspected more than 64,000 vehicles offering transport services that were equipped with GPS trackers and interior cameras. 

These checks led to an additional 3,462 violations.