Controversy over regulation that drivers are not allowed to drive continuously for 4 hours: What does the Traffic Police Department say?

According to the Law on Road Traffic Safety and Order, drivers of commercial and internal transport vehicles are not allowed to drive continuously for more than 4 hours, and the maximum working time per day is 10 hours.

At the same time, this group of drivers is also required not to drive for more than 48 hours a week.

In Decree 168/2024, the authorities stipulate that drivers of commercial and internal transport vehicles who drive beyond the prescribed time or do not comply with the regulations on rest time between two consecutive drives will be fined 3-5 million VND. The additional penalty is the deduction of 2 driving license points.

In addition, car owners who let their drivers drive continuously beyond the prescribed time will also be fined 4-6 million VND (individuals) and 8-12 million VND (organizations).

Regarding this regulation, the Traffic Police Department (Ministry of Public Security) said that this is an inheritance from the previous Road Traffic Law and ensures relevant regulations of the Labor Code.

According to the provisions of the 2019 Labor Code, the normal working hours of employees in Vietnam do not exceed 8 hours per day and 48 hours per week. At the same time, the regulation of driving no more than 48 hours per week is also consistent with the Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.

After 4 hours of continuous driving, the driver can rest. After about 15 minutes, they are allowed to continue driving. The ultimate goal is to help the driver stay alert and not get tired, which can easily lead to safety risks.

"When driving in neutral for too long, over 4 hours continuously, it will lead to fatigue. Resting helps the nervous system to stop being stressed, helping to restore labor force," said a representative of the Traffic Police Department.

Regulations on driving and rest time for drivers are also a measure to ensure the health and safety of drivers, contributing to reducing the risk of accidents when participating in traffic. Effective implementation of these regulations also requires a harmonious combination of personal awareness and responsibility of transport organizations.

Authorities also recommend that drivers should keep a relaxed state of mind when driving. When feeling tired or sleepy, they should rest immediately, even if they have not driven continuously for 4 hours. They should absolutely not "try to drive more".

Regulations on rest periods also help prevent drivers from using stimulants to stay awake. "This can lead to many dangerous consequences. No stimulant can replace rest, the body must recover," a representative of the Traffic Police Department affirmed.

In addition, in unavoidable situations, drivers encounter traffic jams in the city or rest stops are not guaranteed, they can continue their journey to escape that area. "When considering the situations, traffic police will calculate additional related factors, not just focus on punishment. However, after escaping the area of ​​force majeure, drivers need to take a rest immediately, avoid abusing it to try to drive," said a representative of the Traffic Police Department.

With the above regulation, the authorities will focus on controlling long-distance drivers, so that they can be proactive, foresee and calculate reasonable rest time according to regulations.