At the discussion session of the Group on the Draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Handling of Administrative Violations held on May 16, delegate Nguyen Thi Xuan analyzed:
"The current penalty is not enough to deter, especially for serious or intentional violations. The press and social networks often report cases of drivers deliberately driving in the wrong direction on the highway - where the density and speed of vehicles are very high. If collisions occur in these cases, the consequences are extremely serious".
Through the above analysis, delegate Nguyen Thi Xuan proposed to increase the maximum fine for traffic violations from the current 75 million VND to 150 - 200 million VND.
I strongly agree with delegate Nguyen Thi Xuan on strict penalties to raise awareness of traffic compliance. However, with a fine of 200 million VND, it is necessary to consider whether it is suitable or not.
First of all, the income threshold for people. According to the announcement of the General Statistics Office for the fourth quarter of 2024, the average income of Vietnamese workers in 2024 is 7.7 million VND/month.
If the fine is many times higher than the average income of the people, it will not be appropriate and feasible because the majority of people are unable to pay the fine.
There are also opinions that if the fine is high so that everyone is afraid, if they do not want to lose money, they must strictly comply with traffic laws.
Saying so is not wrong, but there are also cases of intentional violations, due to negligence, due to loss of concentration. If the fine is too high, it will become a financial burden for the individual and the family. A rental driver, fined a lot, lost ten months of salary and how to support his wife and children.
Not to mention, the current transport infrastructure is still outdated, making it difficult for vehicles to circulate. Traffic signs are obscured, traffic lights are still broken in some places, etc., which can lead to drivers violating.
For the poor, they will not pay the fine, not because they do not comply, but because they do not have money. Therefore, the regulation needs to closely follow reality so that people comply with the law and be able to comply with administrative sanctions if they violate. Thus, the new law comes into life, creating efficiency in society.
To ensure safe and civilized traffic, not only heavy fines but also other good things need to be done. That is to build modern transport infrastructure and promote and educate traffic culture in an extensive and practical manner.
