What is the penalty for turning on the headlights improperly?

Improperly turning on headlights will be punished according to regulations.

First of all, headlights are an important and mandatory light of traffic vehicles. According to the provisions of the Law on Road Traffic 2008, when participating in traffic, motorbikes and cars must have headlights:

Article 53. Conditions for motor vehicles to participate in traffic.

1. Cars of the correct type and type allowed to participate in traffic must ensure quality regulations; technical safety and environmental protection as follows: d) Having enough near and far lights, license plate lights, brake lights and signal lights.

2. Two-wheeled motorcycles, three-wheeled motorcycles, and mopeds of the right type and type permitted to participate in traffic must ensure the quality, technical safety and environmental protection regulations prescribed at points a, b, d, dd, e, h, i and k, Clause 1 of this Article”.

Thus, when participating in traffic, motorbikes and cars must have headlights.

Notably, according to the provisions of Clause 12, Article 8 of the Law on Road Traffic in 2008, it is strictly forbidden to use headlights in urban areas and densely populated areas during the period from 10 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. the following day. the right of priority is on duty as prescribed.

Clause 3, Article 17 of the Law on Road Traffic 2008 also stipulates that motor vehicles traveling in opposite directions must not use high beams.

Penalties for improper use of headlights

Currently, the act of turning on the headlights illegally is sanctioned according to Decree No. 100/2019/ND-CP stipulating the sanction of administrative violations in the field of traffic and roads and railways.

Penalties for subjects are as follows:

For car drivers: Pursuant to the provisions of Point b, Clause 3, Article 5 of Decree No. 100/2019/ND-CP, for the act of honking the horn and revving continuously; honking, using high beams in urban areas and densely populated areas, except for priority vehicles on duty as prescribed, the vehicle operator will be fined from VND 800,000 to VND 1,000,000 if using headlights in urban areas, densely populated areas.

For motorcyclists, according to the provisions of Points d and e, Clause 3, Article 6 of Decree No. 100/2019/ND-CP, the vehicle operator will be fined from 400,000 to 600,000 if using the high beam in the urban areas, densely populated areas and use high beams when avoiding oncoming vehicles. In addition, according to the provisions at point c, clause 11 of Article 5, point c, clause 10 of Article 6 of Decree No. 100/2019/ND-CP, if the act of using headlights is not in accordance with regulations, it causes traffic accidents. In addition to being fined, violators are also subject to additional penalties. Specifically, the right to use the driving license will be stripped from 02 months to 04 months depending on the seriousness of the violation.