Online Traffic Fine Payments Proposed in Vietnam to Boost Owner Responsibility

Vietnam is considering an online system for paying traffic fines, a move aimed at holding vehicle owners more accountable. The proposed system also seeks to simplify procedures for dealing with "cold fines" – penalties issued by traffic cameras.

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people still keep the habit of buying and selling cars but do not carry out the collection of license plates, transfer of ownership according to regulations.

A significant issue highlighted is the common practice of selling vehicles without completing the necessary ownership transfer and license plate registration. This has led to situations where fines are issued to vehicles that have changed hands multiple times, with the original registered owner no longer in possession of the car. A striking example from Phu Tho province involved a car with 96 recorded traffic violations. Despite numerous infractions, including speeding 21 times in July alone, the notifications sent to the registered owner went unheeded because the vehicle had been sold and resold without proper documentation.

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The car had up to 96 traffic violations recorded by the AI traffic surveillance system.

Authorities eventually identified the current owner and issued fines totaling 474.6 million Vietnamese dong (approximately $18,600 USD). This case underscores the challenges faced by law enforcement in tracking down responsible parties when ownership records are not updated. The Directorate of Road Traffic Police is working to clean up its data and emphasizes the need for owners to take responsibility for their vehicles, especially with the upcoming implementation of personalized license plates.

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The total fine amount was 474.6 million dong.

Failure to pay outstanding fines will have consequences, impacting a vehicle's ability to pass inspection and be re-registered. The proposed online system and stricter enforcement aim to create a more robust system of accountability for all vehicle owners in Vietnam.

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The incident shows responsibility from both sides. The person registered as the owner sold the car but did not recall the license plate, an act that is also being considered for handling. Meanwhile, the person actually owning and using the vehicle still allowed the car to circulate despite being blocked from inspection and repeatedly violating traffic safety and order, regardless of the fact that the violations were recorded by the AI camera system.