Of the total, 2,632 are minibuses with the remainder being trucks.
The use of out-dated vehicles will face fines of between VND4-6 million
Tran Ky Hinh, head of the Vietnam Register, said that the Law on Road Traffic stipulates that such vehicles can be used for up to 25 years but there is no limit set for cars with less than nine seats.
Vietnam Register has urged registration centres across the country to tighten control over the operation of out-dated vehicles. Old vehicles must be refused registration, Hinh noted.
Major General Tran Son Ha, head of the Traffic Police Department, said that old vehicles are unsafe. Those continuing to drive such vehicles would face fines of between VND4 million (USD181.8) and VND6 million. The vehicles would also be confiscated.
In reality, many old vehicles carry passengers and cargo in remote areas, with some vehicles only being driven at night. To avoid being caught, their owners often try to avoid regular check-ups or sell their old vehicles to those who can use them in mountainous and rural areas where inspections tend to be less common.