The Traffic Police Department recently noted many questions from drivers encountering malfunctioning traffic lights, such as continuous red blinking or lights changing from green to red before the countdown timer finishes.

A case of malfunctioning traffic lights where the driver was not fined. Video: *Traffic Police Department*

Regarding this issue, the Traffic Police Department confirmed that fines will not be issued for failing to obey traffic light signals if the system is faulty or broken. This applies whether the violation is detected directly or via surveillance cameras. If stopped directly by authorities, drivers can report the traffic light's condition to the on-duty traffic police.

If drivers receive a remote fine notice for a red light violation captured by camera, they have the right to review all images and video of the violation to confirm if the traffic light system was operating normally. Violators can also provide additional video from dashcams or nearby citizens' cameras as comparative evidence.

A case of a green light changing to yellow with 7 seconds remaining at Le Quang Dao intersection, Hanoi. Video: *Phan Viet*

The Traffic Police Department advises the public to report any traffic light malfunctions to the Traffic Police Department or local Traffic Police Division via public phone numbers, fanpages, or the VNeTraffic application for timely resolution.

According to Decree 168/2024, motorcycle drivers running a yellow or red light are fined 4-6 million dong, while the fine for cars is 18-20 million dong, along with a deduction of 4 points from their driver's license.

However, Regulation 41/2024/BGTVT, effective from 1/1/2025, stipulates that the green light signal for each traffic direction must last a minimum of 15 seconds. Therefore, if a light changes too quickly, not meeting the minimum duration as per the regulation, road users can request a review from the authorities.

By Pham Hai