Vietnam Road Traffic Guide

Vietnam is not the most ordinary country for tourists when it comes to road traffic. Based on our (the site authors') experience traveling through Southeast Asia, road traffic in Vietnam is the most chaotic, a real "madness." But don't be scared prematurely – if you look past the chaos and check the objective data, according to the World Health Organization (2013 data), Vietnam ranks 42nd in road traffic fatalities, Thailand ranks 2nd, and Russia ranks 72nd.

Beyond these numbers, our video tells a very eloquent story about Vietnam's traffic:

Regardless of statistics, adapting to Vietnam's road traffic, whether as a pedestrian or a driver, is quite challenging for tourists. Here are some features of Vietnam's road traffic; knowing them might help you preserve your life, health, or property. This list is based on our subjective experience and is, of course, up for discussion:

• There is very little traffic police on Vietnamese roads; you can only see them in major cities or on national highways.
• There are no speed cameras or traffic enforcement cameras on the roads, at least we haven't encountered any.
• No one ever yields to pedestrians at crosswalks. Even if you stride forward confidently, no driver will slow down to let you pass; they will simply go around you or shoo you off the road with their horn.
• Motorbikes move on sidewalks as calmly as they do on the road, even right under the noses of police officers. Tourists walking on sidewalks are obstacles, so riders scatter them with their horns.
• Overall, local drivers navigate very chaotically, giving the impression they completely disrespect other road users and pedestrians, or perhaps they simply don't know the rules.
• If local drivers are going the wrong way, exiting a parking lot, or merging from a minor road, they expect you to yield. Even if you honk at them, they will plow forward like a tank, relying on you to stop.
• There are very few of the familiar priority signs like "Main Road" or "Yield" before intersections. Right-of-way at intersections is determined by signs like "Crossroad with minor road" or "Junction with minor road," placed dozens of meters before the intersection. If you miss such a sign, it's better to yield to everyone from all directions.
• Accidents do happen in Vietnam, including with motorbikes, especially in the rain. Be extra cautious on good-quality serpentine mountain roads: everyone speeds on them, and as a result, they "fly off."
• Vietnamese drivers calmly change lanes right before a turn or U-turn, switching from the far right lane to the left, or suddenly turn right from the second lane, so stay alert.
• Car and bus drivers generally don't consider motorbike riders as proper road users and rarely pay attention to them when changing lanes, turning, etc.

And if you decide not to be just a pedestrian but also a temporary driver in Vietnam by renting a vehicle, be sure to watch this video all the way through: