Traffic police recorded more than 53,900 road violations nationwide during the holiday, including 11,411 drink-driving cases, second only to speeding at 13,390.
Officers said enforcement was often complicated by violators attempting to delay breath tests or seeking intervention from relatives.
In one case on May 2, traffic police in Hanoi stopped a motorcyclist on Lac Long Quan Street who repeatedly refused to blow properly into the breathalyser despite repeated instructions.
“It’s done, I’ve blown all my breath out,” the rider said, though the device showed no valid reading.
After around 10 minutes, the man complied and tested at 0.296 milligrams of alcohol per litre of breath.
In another case, a motorcyclist initially denied consuming alcohol, citing high blood pressure, but later admitted drinking at a memorial gathering after testing at 0.277 mg/litre.
Police said the man and his wife then attempted to delay proceedings further by calling relatives, but officers declined to engage.
“We enforce the law with no restricted areas and no exceptions. All violations are handled strictly in accordance with regulations,” Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Hai said.
Authorities said complacency and weak legal awareness among some road users remained the main reasons drink-driving violations persisted.
Despite widespread awareness of the rule that those who drink should not drive, many offenders still cited familiar excuses such as “home is nearby” or “I’m still sober enough to drive”.
The Traffic Police Department said it would continue public awareness campaigns and strict enforcement against key causes of traffic accidents, particularly drink-driving and violations involving commercial vehicles.
