Hanoi’s traffic police have launched a citywide crackdown on motorcyclists who obscure or alter their number plates or use mobile phones while driving.
The campaign began on Thursday morning after artificial intelligence-equipped cameras on expressways and in several urban areas recorded a rise in motorbikes with obscured or sticker-covered plates.
A ride-hailing driver covering his number plate on Giai Phong Street is stopped by traffic police on November 13. (Photo by Ngoc Tien)
At the Dai Co Viet - Giai Phong intersection, officers used mobile cameras to spot riders using phones, concealing or bending their plates, or failing to mount plates altogether.
At about 9 am, police stopped a 25-year-old ride-hailing driver from Ninh Binh Province for obscuring his plate with stickers. “I just copied my friends for decoration,” he said. He was fined VND 5 million (USD 190) and had six licence points deducted.
Four cases of obscured plates were detected at the Lang - Le Van Luong junction. One rider said a friend had borrowed his bike and he did not know who had placed a face mask over the plate.
A ride-hailing driver uses his phone while driving. (Photo by Ngoc Tien)
At the Khuat Duy Tien - Nguyen Trai junction, officers recorded eight violations, five for obscured plates and three for phone use.
According to Hanoi’s Traffic Police Department, officers penalised 137 violators on Thursday morning, with fines exceeding VND 350 million. Police also impounded 15 vehicles and deducted 106 licence points.
Many motorbike drivers conceal or modify their plates to evade automated fines (Photo by Ngoc Tien)
The cases included seven vehicles with missing plates, 18 with unclear or altered characters, and 28 where plates had been bent, covered or otherwise modified, including changes to characters, colours or sizes.
Police also fined 84 riders for holding or using mobile phones while driving.
