Vietnam dangles big cash rewards for reporting traffic offenders

Vietnam is to pay residents who snitch on traffic offenders up to 5 million dong (US$200) as the Southeast Asian country strives to bring rule-breaking drivers into line on its notoriously chaotic roads.

Since the beginning of the year, authorities have dramatically upped the fines – to an almost unaffordable level for the average driver – for traffic violations including running a red light and using a mobile phone.

Under the new rules, anyone who reports a verified traffic offence in Vietnam – a one-party communist state – can now bag up to 10 per cent of fines levied, up to a ceiling of 5 million dong.

The identities of informants will be kept confidential “to ensure their privacy”, the law said.

No one has so far been rewarded, according to state media, who cited police.

In a country where the average monthly income is around 7.7 million dong, running a red light with a motorbike now costs more than 6 million dong, six times the previous figure.