Circular No. 31/2019/TT-BGTVT on speed limits and safe distances for motor vehicles and special-purpose motorcycles participating in road traffic

CIRCULAR

Provisions on speed and safe distance

for motor vehicles and special-purpose motorcycles participating in road traffic

Based on the Road Traffic Law No. 23/2008/QH12;

Pursuant to Decree No. 12/2017/NĐ-CP dated February 10, 2017, issued by the Government on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Transport;

At the proposal of the Director of the Infrastructure Department and the Director General of the Vietnam Highway Administration;

The Minister of Transport issues this Circular regulating speed limits and safe distances for motor vehicles participating in road traffic on roads.

PART I

GENERAL PROVISIONS

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular stipulates the speed and safe distance for motor vehicles and special-purpose motorcycles when participating in road traffic, except for priority vehicles performing tasks as prescribed by law.

Article 2. Scope Scope of application

This Circular applies to drivers, operators of special-purpose motorcycles, agencies, organizations, and individuals related to the management and implementation of regulations on speed and safe distance for motor vehicles and special-purpose motorcycles when participating in road traffic.

Article 3. Explanation of terms interpret terms

In this Circular, the following terms are understood as follows:

1. Urban roads refer to sections of roads located within the inner city, inner town, or inner urban area (collectively referred to as inner urban areas), and those sections with dense residential populations along the roads that affect traffic safety; they are identified by signs indicating passage through densely populated areas.

2. Motor vehicles include cars; tractors; trailers or semi-trailers pulled by cars or tractors; two-wheeled motorcycles; three-wheeled motorcycles; motorbikes (including electric motorbikes) and similar types of vehicles.

3. Special-purpose cars are cars designed and equipped to perform specific functions, including: street sweeping cars, water sprinkling cars; waste suction cars, garbage compaction cars; concrete mixing cars; concrete pumping cars; crane cars; ladder cars; drilling cars; traffic rescue cars; mobile television cars, mobile radio wave measurement cars, bridge inspection cars, underground cable inspection cars, X-ray photography cars, mobile surgery cars, and similar types of cars.

4. Special-purpose motorcycles include construction motorcycles, agricultural and forestry motorcycles, and other special types of motorcycles used for defense and security purposes that participate in road traffic.

5. Median strip refers to a part of the road where vehicles do not run, used to divide the road surface into two separate lanes for opposite directions of travel (main forms include curb strips, concrete median strips, steel median strips, corrugated metal guardrails, or reserve land strips).

6. Dual carriageway refers to a road with separate lanes for forward and reverse directions divided by a median strip (if separated by painted lines, it is not considered a dual carriageway).

7. One-way road refers to a road designated for one-way travel only.

8. Two-way road refers to a road with both forward and reverse lanes on the same section of the road, without being divided by a median strip.

9. Gross weight refers to the permissible load capacity, determined according to the Certificate of Technical Safety Inspection and Environmental Protection for motor vehicles.

Article 4. Principles for Adhering to Speed and Safe Distance Regulations When Controlling Vehicles on Roads provisions on compliance with speed limits and distance requirements when operating vehicles on roads

1. When participating in road traffic, vehicle operators must strictly comply with the speed limits and minimum safe distances between two vehicles (of the same type of motor vehicle or special-purpose motorcycle) indicated on road signs.

2. On sections of road without speed limit signs or minimum safe distance signs between two vehicles, vehicle operators must follow the provisions set out in Articles 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 11 of this Circular.

3. Vehicle operators participating in road traffic must control their vehicles to run at speeds appropriate to the conditions of bridges, roads, traffic density, terrain, weather, and other influencing factors to ensure traffic safety.

Article 5. Situations where speed reduction is required

The driver of a vehicle participating in road traffic must reduce speed to be able to stop safely in the following situations:

1. There is a warning signal of danger or there are obstacles on the road;

2. Changing direction of travel or limited visibility;

3. At intersections at the same level; intersections at the same level with railways; roundabouts; winding roads, mountain passes; sections of road with narrow surfaces, not smooth;

4. Over narrow bridges, culverts; passing over spillways, underground passages, tunnels; when approaching the top of a hill, descending a hill;

5. In areas near schools, hospitals, bus stations, public works gathering many people; densely populated areas, factories, offices along the road; construction sites on the road; traffic accident scenes;

6. When pedestrians or disabled persons' wheelchairs cross the road;

7. Livestock is on the road or grazing near the road;

8. To avoid oncoming vehicles or when allowing a trailing vehicle to pass; when receiving a yield signal or emergency signal from the preceding vehicle;

9. Approaching a bus stop or parking area where passengers are boarding or alighting;

10. Meeting priority vehicles performing duties; encountering oversized, overweight vehicles, vehicles carrying dangerous goods; encountering groups of pedestrians;

11. During rain; with fog, smoke, dust; slippery, muddy road surfaces, covered with many rocks, scattered materials;

12. When driving through areas with vehicle weight control checkpoints, traffic police stations, toll collection points for road users.

Chapter II

SPEED LIMITS AND DISTANCES FOR MOTOR VEHICLES AND SPECIAL PURPOSE MOTORCYCLES PARTICIPATING IN ROAD TRAFFIC

Article 6. Speed Limits Maximum permissible speed for motor vehicles participating in traffic in densely populated areas (excluding expressways)

Article 7. Maximum permissible speed for motor vehicles participating in traffic outside densely populated areas (excluding expressways)

Article 8. Maximum permissible speed for special purpose motorcycles, motorbikes (including electric motorcycles), and similar vehicles on roads (excluding expressways)

For special purpose motorcycles, motorbikes (including electric motorcycles), and similar vehicles participating in traffic, the maximum permissible speed shall not exceed 40 km/h.

Article 9. Speed limits for motor vehicles and special purpose motorcycles on expressways

1. The maximum permissible operating speed on expressways shall not exceed 120 km/h.

2. When participating in traffic on expressways, drivers and operators of special purpose motorcycles must comply with the maximum and minimum speeds indicated on road signs and markings on the lanes.

Article 10. Setting up speed limit signs

1. The setting up of speed limit signs shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of the law on road traffic signals and must be based on the actual conditions of the section or road regarding the infrastructure of the road, traffic volume, types of vehicles, and time of day.

For new investment construction projects or upgraded and improved road works, speed limit signs must be fully installed before the project is put into use. For sections or roads currently in operation under their management, road management agencies must proactively and promptly install road traffic signs in accordance with regulations.

2. On branch roads leading to or from expressways, when setting up speed limit signs, the speed value indicated on the sign must not be less than 50 km/h.

3. The competent authority specified in Clause 4 of this Article shall decide to set up traffic signal signs for the following cases:

a) For dual carriageways, separate speed limit signs shall be set up for each direction of travel;

b) Speed limit signs for a specific period of the day (auxiliary signs, electronic signs);

c) Separate speed limit signs for types of vehicles that pose a high risk of traffic accidents;

d) Speed limit signs with values greater than 60 km/h (for sections within densely populated areas), greater than 90 km/h (for sections outside densely populated areas) for routes with design speeds higher than the maximum speeds prescribed in Articles 6 and 7 of this Circular but must ensure safe traffic operations.

4. The competent authority deciding to set up signs for the cases stipulated in Clause 3 of this Article includes:

a) The Ministry of Transport for expressways;

b) Vietnam Highway Administration for national highway systems and other roads under the management of the Ministry of Transport (excluding expressways);

c) People's Committees of provinces and centrally governed cities for provincial roads, district roads, commune roads, urban roads, and specialized roads under their management.

Article 11. Safe distance between two vehicles when participating in road traffic

1. When driving a vehicle on a road, the driver or operator of a special-purpose motorcycle must maintain a safe distance from the vehicle immediately ahead; where there is a "Minimum Distance Between Two Vehicles" sign, the distance must not be less than the value indicated on the sign.

2. The safe distance between two vehicles when participating in road traffic

a) In dry road conditions, the safe distance corresponding to each speed is defined as follows:

When driving at a speed below 60 km/h, the driver must actively maintain a safe distance appropriate to the vehicle immediately ahead; this distance depends on the density of vehicles and the actual traffic situation to ensure traffic safety.

b) In rainy weather, fog, slippery roads, winding terrain, mountainous roads, limited visibility, the driver must adjust the safe distance appropriately larger than the value indicated on the sign or the value prescribed in Point a of this Clause.

Chapter III

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 12. Effectiveness of Implementation

This Circular takes effect from October 15, 2019, and replaces Circular No. 91/2015/TT-BGTVT dated December 31, 2015, issued by the Minister of Transport, concerning speed limits and safe distances for motor vehicles and special-purpose motorcycles participating in road traffic.

Article 13. Implementation The Head of the Office of the Ministry, the Inspector General of the Ministry, the Heads of Departments, the Director of the Vietnam Highway Corporation, the Directors of Provincial Department of Transport under central cities and provinces, the Heads of agencies, organizations and individuals related shall be responsible for implementing this Circular.

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