The measures are part of the draftdecree on administrative punishment for traffic violators, released bythe Ministry of Transport to increase public trust in traffic lawenforcement.
Trinh Minh Hien, head of the ministry's LegalDepartment said it is necessary to impose new fines for new types oftraffic violations and to intensify current punishment levels to deterviolators and maintain traffic order.
"While raisingawareness about traffic safety requires a long time frame, stricterpunishment measures are expected to help that process," she said.
Under the draft decree, fines for traffic violation regarding illegalracing, blood alcohol concentration and speeding and illegal parkingwill be raised to at least twice their current levels.
Violators will also be subject to additional punishment measures, suchas having their driving license and vehicles retained or seized.
Illegal car and motorbike racers will be fined 10-40 million VND(476-1,904 USD) and have their vehicles seized and driving licensessuspended for a 60-day period.
Drivers with a bloodalcohol concentration exceeding permitted levels while driving will befined 8-25 million VND (381-1,190 USD) and have their vehicles retainedfor a maximum period of 60 days.
Drivers exceeding speed limits will be fined 400,000-1.2 million VND (19-57 USD).
Drivers using mobile phones while controlling their vehicles will receive fines of 300,000-500,000 VND (14-24 USD).
The ministry's draft decree also imposes higher fines of between500,000-5 million VND (24-238 USD) on violators working for transportbusinesses such as those carrying more passengers than legally allowedor failing to list their name and phone number on the transportvehicles.
This draft decree has already attracted public opinion about its feasibility.
Nguyen Duc Tan, a traffic policeman in the city's Thuong Tin districtsaid seizing illegal motorbike racers' vehicles would be an effectivemethod of stopping illegal racing, as fines and license suspension havenot been as effective as expected.
Nguyen Van Hoa, amotorbike driver on the city's Thai Ha street said higher finesshould be applied to drunk drivers who caused many traffic problems andendangered many people at night.
The current decree on administrative punishment for traffic violators was released two years ago. - VNA