Safety

Riding safely: road rules & road sense

How Vietnamese traffic really works, the rules and fines that matter, the hazards to respect, and what to do if something goes wrong.

6 min read Checked 14 Nov 2026

Short version: Vietnamese traffic is dense, slow and more orderly than it looks. Keep right, hold a steady line and make no sudden moves. Wear a proper helmet, drink nothing at all before riding, stay off expressways and be parked up before dark. The real dangers are trucks and buses on Highway 1, loose gravel, and your own tiredness.

How the traffic works

It flows. Think of a shoal of fish, not lanes of cars. Most things move at 30 to 50 km/h and steer around whatever is in the way. Your job is to be predictable: steady speed, steady line, clear signals.
Size wins. Trucks, buses and cars expect bikes to give way. Let them. Being in the right is no comfort in a ditch.
The horn means "I'm here". It isn't anger. Use yours before blind bends and when passing.
Expect surprises from the side. People pull out of lanes without looking, and bikes come the wrong way along the kerb.
Don't be first, and don't dither. At junctions, move off with the pack and keep a steady pace.

The rules that matter

Fines are for motorbikes under Decree 168/2024, as reported in 2026. US dollar figures are approximate, at about 26,000 VND to the dollar.

Rule	What it means	Fine (VND)
Helmet	Rider and passenger, strap done up	400,000–600,000 each (US$15–23)
Speed in built-up areas	50 km/h, or 60 on dual carriageways and one-way roads with two or more lanes	400,000–600,000 (US$15–23) for 5 to 10 km/h over, rising to 6–8 million (US$230–310) for more than 20 over
Speed outside towns	60 km/h, or 70 on dual carriageways. Mopeds of 50cc and under: 40 everywhere. Signs overrule all of this	As above
Alcohol	The limit is zero. Any trace counts, including the morning after	2–3 million (US$75–115) at the lowest level, up to 8–10 million plus a long licence suspension
Lights	Headlight on from 18:00 to 06:00, and in rain, fog or poor visibility	200,000–400,000 (US$8–15)
Red lights	Red means stop. Turn right on red only where a sign, a green arrow or a separate slip lane allows it	4–6 million (US$155–230)
Expressways	Closed to motorbikes	4–6 million
Phone	Not in your hand while riding	800,000–1 million (US$30–40)
Lanes	Keep right. On multi-lane roads, signs show which vehicles may use each lane, and bikes usually get the right-hand one	600,000–800,000 (US$23–30)

Set your map app to motorbike mode, so it doesn't send you onto an expressway.

The big hazards

Trucks and buses on Highway 1 (QL1). It is the main north-south trucking road. A parallel expressway now takes much of the heavy traffic, but QL1 is still busy near cities. Stay right, let faster vehicles through, and expect oncoming overtakers in your lane. Choose quieter roads where the route allows.
Gravel, sand and potholes. Worst on bends, at roadworks and where farm tracks join. Do your braking before the corner.
Animals and people. Dogs, cattle, chickens, children, and market stalls that spill onto the tarmac.
Landslides and floods. Canada's travel advice puts the rainy season at June to September in the north and south and October to December in the centre, with typhoons possible from June to December. Mountain roads can be blocked. Ask locally, and be ready to wait or turn back.
Dusk and night. Unlit vehicles, dazzling headlights, animals and drivers who have been drinking. The same Canadian advice says to avoid travelling after dark. Aim to be off the road by about 5pm.
You. Heat, dehydration and fatigue cause more mistakes than bad roads do. Drink water and stop often.

Official figures recorded 10,491 road deaths in Vietnam in 2025. The UK government's line is to keep your speed down and stay alert, and we can't improve on it.

How far in a day

For most riders, 100 to 150 km is a good day. More than 150 km is a long one, and 250 km or more is very long, especially early in the trip. Start early, stop about once an hour, and take a rest day every three or four days. Tired riders make the mistakes.

If there's an accident

Vietnamese law requires anyone involved to stop, keep the scene as it is, help the injured and tell the police.

Stop, switch off and make the scene safe.
Help anyone who is hurt. Call 115 for an ambulance and 113 for the police. In a city, a taxi may be quicker than waiting.
Stay until the police arrive, unless you are taking someone to hospital or are in danger yourself. If you leave for those reasons, report to the police straight afterwards.
Photograph the vehicles, their positions, the plates and the road.
Phone your insurer's emergency line, your rental shop and, if anyone is badly hurt, your embassy.
Ask for a translator before you sign anything, and ask for a copy of the police report.

UK advice is that a crash can lead to criminal charges, compensation payments and a ban on leaving the country during the investigation, even when injuries are minor. Cooperate fully and stay calm.

Emergency numbers and hospitals

Service	Number
Police	113
Fire	114
Ambulance	115

Don't count on an English-speaking operator. Keep the numbers of your guesthouse and rental shop handy, so that someone can call for you.

Care is best in Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, and limited in small towns and remote areas. Private hospitals are usually better equipped, can be expensive, and may ask for payment before they treat you. Medical evacuation is very expensive. Carry your insurer's 24-hour number and your policy number on paper as well as on your phone, and tell your riding partners where they are. Licences, IDPs & staying legal explains why that insurance only works if you're riding legally.

Rain and cold

Rain. Slow down and double your following distance. Painted lines and metal covers are slippery when wet. A real rain jacket and trousers beat a flapping poncho. If you can't see, do what local riders do: pull in under a roof and order a coffee.
Floods. If you can't see the road surface under the water, don't ride into it.
Cold. From December to February the north is cold, grey and drizzly, and the mountains can be 10 degrees C cooler than the coast. Bring layers, a windproof jacket, gloves and something for your neck. Cold hands brake slowly.

The two-minute morning check

Tyres: firm, with no nails or cuts
Brakes: both levers feel firm
Lights, indicators and horn all work
Chain: oiled and not sagging
Nothing fresh dripping underneath
Fuel: enough for the first stretch, and a full tank before remote sections
Luggage: straps tight, nothing dangling near the back wheel
You: rested, sober, helmet strap done up

Questions about a particular road? Ask on the board.

Sources and further reading

Last checked on 14 Nov 2026. Rules and prices change; confirm anything important before you rely on it.