While traffic police have deployed multiple campaigns to eliminate overloaded vehicles since the beginning of 2024, the situation remains complicated with persistent risks to motorists.

These vehicles, mostly motorbikes or makeshift three-wheelers, pose a risk to traffic safety due to the large loads of goods potentially causing collisions and blocking the vision of other drivers.

There were more than 150 violations of overloaded vehicles within just one month from mid-February to mid-March.

“From March 6-15, 39 cases of makeshift three-wheelers were handled with fines totaling around VNĐ25 million (US$1,010). Four vehicles and 31 vehicle documents were confiscated.”

Another traffic unit also handled and seized 16 makeshift three-wheelers with more than VNĐ97 million ($3,900) in fines from mid-December last year until now.

It was reported that most of the violating three-wheelers are old and exceeding their shipping capacity, many of which have no license plates.

When pulled over, most drivers said that due to difficult family circumstances, they opted to use outdated and unsafe vehicles to transport goods to make ends meet.

To maximize incomes and reduce the number of trips they have to take, drivers often try to carry as many goods as possible in one ride.

In addition to handling and documenting violation cases according to regulations, officers also put in the effort to raise awareness of the extremely high danger risks that overloading vehicles can cause while in traffic.

Meanwhile, as many of the violating vehicles are outdated, authorities also need to look into issuing a standard framework to ensure vehicle safety and related environmental criteria, which would allow law enforcers to seize and destroy vehicles that are not qualified for operation.

“In the long term, it is also necessary to research and develop small-sized transport vehicles that can travel through streets and alleyways to respond to people’s transportation needs.

“This will reduce the use of makeshift three-wheelers and motorbikes for bulky goods transport like right now.”

To put an end to overloaded transporting vehicles which violate traffic laws, awareness campaigns will be held alongside increased patrols by district-level police forces.

Joint efforts from all departments of local authorities are crucial to this mission, especially in inspecting and handling unqualified vehicles at the grassroots level.