The Ministry of Transport is seeking comments on the draft Circular amending Circular No. 31/2019 regulating the speed and safe distance of motor vehicles and specialized motorbikes participating in road traffic.

According to the Vietnam Road Administration, Circular No. 31 was issued to provide detailed guidance on the implementation of the 2008 Road Traffic Law. To date, the 2008 Road Traffic Law has been replaced by the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety, and the Road Law will take effect from January 1, 2025.

Therefore, the issuance of a Circular regulating the speed and safe distance of motor vehicles and specialized motorbikes participating in road traffic is necessary to promptly guide the implementation of the above two laws.

Accordingly, in chapter 2 of the draft Circular regulating the speed and distance of motor vehicles and specialized motorbikes participating in traffic on roads, it is stated that: The maximum speed allowed for motor vehicles to participate in traffic in densely populated areas (except for expressways and elevated roads without intersections with other roads), motor vehicles except specialized motorbikes and motorbikes (including electric motorbikes) traveling on double-track roads and one-way roads with two or more motor vehicle lanes are allowed to travel at a maximum speed of 60km/h. Two-way roads and one-way roads with one motor vehicle lane are only allowed to travel at a maximum speed of 50km/h.

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Proposal for electric motorbikes to have a maximum speed of no more than 40km/h. Photo: Hoang Minh

In addition, the draft Circular also stipulates the maximum speed allowed for motor vehicles to participate in traffic outside densely populated areas (except highways).

Specifically, for dual carriageways and one-way roads with two or more motor vehicle lanes:

Cars, passenger cars with up to 30 seats (except buses); trucks with a load capacity of 3.5 tons or less are allowed to travel at a maximum speed of 90km/h.

Passenger cars with more than 30 seats (except buses); trucks with a load capacity of more than 3.5 tons (except tank trucks) are allowed to travel at a maximum speed of 80km/h.

Buses; tractors pulling semi-trailers; motorbikes; specialized vehicles (except mortar mixers and concrete mixers) are allowed to travel at a maximum speed of 70km/h.

Trailer trucks, tractor trucks, mortar mixer trucks, concrete mixer trucks, and tanker trucks are allowed to travel at a maximum speed of 60km/h.

For two-way roads, one-way roads have one lane of motor vehicles:

Cars, passenger cars with up to 30 seats (except buses), trucks with a load capacity of 3.5 tons or less are allowed to travel at a maximum speed of 80km/h.

Passenger cars with more than 30 seats (except buses) and trucks with a load capacity of more than 3.5 tons (except tank trucks) are allowed to travel at a maximum speed of 70km/h.

Buses, tractors pulling semi-trailers, motorbikes, and specialized vehicles (except mortar mixers and concrete mixers) are allowed to travel at a maximum speed of 60km/h.

Trailer trucks, tractor trucks, mortar mixer trucks, concrete mixer trucks, and tanker trucks are allowed to travel at a maximum speed of 50km/h.

Notably, in this draft, electric motorbikes have been included in the speed regulations when participating in traffic. Specifically, for specialized motorbikes, motorbikes (including electric motorbikes) and similar vehicles when participating in traffic, the maximum operating speed is not more than 40km/h.