If Hanoi officials ever go through with a proposed plan to completely remove motorbikes from many downtown streets, the city’s revenue will certainly take a hit, as nearly 50% of traffic violation cases in Vietnam occur in the capital.
According to a set of statistics released by the Ministry of Public Security’s Traffic Police Department earlier this month, of the 37,300 traffic violations registered nationwide between August 1 and 10 this year, 18,000 originated in Hanoi, six times higher than the figure from Saigon, and ten times that of Da Nang, reports VietnamNet.
The most common driving infractions include ignoring traffic lights, driving in the wrong lane and not wearing a helmet, according to the news source, citing Zing.
In total, fines associated with said traffic violations amounted to VND20 billion (US$896,000). Unsurprisingly, most were associated with motorbikes, rather than cars. For comparison, in the first nine months of 2015, drivers in the capital racked up 412,000 traffic violations to the tune of VND119 billion (US$5.3 million) in fines.
Given this data, it's no suprise that last year an official in the capital told the press that Hanoians should drive more like Saigoneers.
Such violations may become less common in the coming years, as Hanoi officials are currently weighing a plan to phase out motorbikes by 2025.
[Photo via Bao Tin Nhanh]
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