Starting January 1, 2025, new driving regulations will significantly reshape the way students in Vietnam can operate motorbikes. Actively targeting road safety and aiming to reduce accidents among younger drivers, the Government of Vietnam has introduced strict age limits and mandatory training for would-be motorbike operators.
According to the recent legislation passed on June 27, 2024, individuals must be at least 16 years old to legally ride motorbikes. This marks a notable shift from informal practices where many young teens were driving without oversight. "From January 1, 2025, individuals aged 16 and above are allowed to operate motorbikes," reported Minh Ha. The upcoming laws abolish any previous allowances for those under 16, ensuring compliance through structured enforceability.
But it’s not just age limits on motorbike operation. The new regulations also mandate educational institutions to take on the responsibility of ensuring students are well-prepared and legally compliant. From the outset, schools will need to organize awareness programs where students and their families sign commitments to abide by traffic laws. This collaboration extends to the establishment of criteria for evaluating student conduct, which will now include adherence to traffic safety rules.
Schools, especially secondary schools and vocational education institutions, are called to implement comprehensive motorbike safety programs. This includes teaching students how to recognize and react to dangerous situations on the road, perform basic maintenance checks on their bikes, and understand the rights and responsibilities tied to being vehicle operators. A representative from the Ministry of Education stated, "From 2025, abiding by traffic laws will be included as criteria for student conduct assessment." This integration ensures students take traffic laws seriously and internalize the importance of road safety.
The new guidelines also specify what actions motorbike riders must avoid to promote road discipline. Starting next year, students are prohibited from undertaking risky behaviors such as riding alongside other vehicles, using umbrellas or sound devices, riding with both hands off the handlebars, or driving recklessly with excess weight. More explicitly, carrying oversized loads, transporting others on the motorcycle outside standard capacity, or performing acrobatic stunts will be strictly forbidden.
Government directives reveal strong intent to drive behavioral change among young motorbike users. Under these updated rules, families are also tasked with ensuring compliance at home. They are expected to participate actively by refusing to allow underaged children to operate vehicles, reinforcing learning engagements, and communicating consistently with educational institutions on their children's performance related to traffic rules.
Highlighting the holistic approach to learning about road safety, Directive 151/2024 specifies various key skill sets students must acquire. These include recognizing and managing dangerous situations, grasping the components and functions of motorbike machinery, practicing vehicle maintenance, embracing traffic culture, and knowing basic first aid for road injuries. A far-reaching initiative, these competencies aim to cultivate conscientious drivers who prioritize safety and responsibility.
The road safety initiatives are predicated on evidence showing high accident rates among younger drivers. By shifting the age of legal motorbike operation and embedding educational frameworks, the Vietnamese government hopes to establish safer road practices and significantly decrease the number of youth-related traffic incidents.
Through these measures, Vietnam is setting a precedent for youth safety on the roads, fostering responsibility among young drivers, and establishing collective ownership of road safety from families to schools. It’s clear: these regulations aren’t just changes to the law; they symbolize Vietnam's commitment to nurturing aware and safety-oriented future drivers.
