Vietnam's 'Snitch law': Earn upto $200 for reporting traffic violations; Should India follow?
By Vinaykumar Patil | First Published Jan 7, 2025, 3:45 PM ISTStarting January 1, Vietnam rewards citizens with up to $200 for reporting traffic violations. The initiative aims to improve road safety by imposing stricter fines and engaging the public. While debate in India concerns about safety, privacy, and false reporting remain prominent obstacles.
Starting January 1, Vietnam has rolled out an initiative that rewards citizens and organizations with up to $200 (approximately 5 million VND) for reporting traffic violations with evidence. The policy aims to reduce reckless driving, enhance road safety, and foster law-abiding behaviour among its populace.
Under this scheme, whistleblowers receive 10% of the fine collected from violators they report. Fines for offences like running red lights and speeding have been significantly increased to deter violators. For instance, running a red light now incurs fines ranging from VND 18-20 million ($160-$790), compared to the earlier VND 4-6 million.
Latest Videos
Revenue from fines and 30% of proceeds from auctioned license plates will be reinvested in measures to enhance road safety, including deploying additional cameras, purchasing new equipment, and supporting nighttime traffic patrols.
🚨 Vietnam just implemented snitch to earn for traffic violations. If you report someone for breaking traffic laws, you can earn a 10% bounty if they get fined.
We can earn more than an average IT professional if this gets implemented in India 🤷♂️ pic.twitter.com/bkTm5BOctD
The initiative is part of Vietnam's response to widespread challenges such as speeding, driving against traffic, running red lights, and even reversing on highways. Such violations have led to a chaotic environment on the country's roads. By involving citizens directly, the government hopes to create safer streets while encouraging a culture of accountability.
Vietnamese authorities have also rolled out surveillance cameras to monitor roads better and introduced fines up to 30 times higher for serious misdemeanours like obstructing traffic inspections or ignoring police instructions.
Could India implement a similar policy?
The news has sparked widespread debate on social media, with Indian netizens contemplating the feasibility of adopting a similar policy in India. While many acknowledge the potential to improve road discipline, concerns about safety and misuse dominate the discussion.
On a Reddit thread, one user warned, “If this gets implemented in India, the next day, we’ll hear news of someone being beaten for clicking a picture of a Thar jumping a signal.” Another pointed out that a similar initiative in Goa had to be discontinued due to retaliation against whistleblowers.
India should offer 50% compensation to whistleblowers.
This way, they can cover 50% of the population in the direct tax bracket instead of the current 1.3%.
Many will do full time job on this😂
To address safety concerns, some users suggested anonymous reporting. "An app for uploading photos and videos anonymously could solve the problem," wrote a Twitter user. Others proposed involving people already present on the streets, with one commenting, "Get the beggars at traffic signals to do this and pay them 10%—two problems solved with one idea!"
It’s easy. Government should introduce an APP that people can download on their phones and then shoot photos/videos to upload. One problem could be multiple demands from many people who upload same violations.
— BipinChandranK (@Bipin_ChandraK)Humorous take on a serious issue
The idea of earning money by reporting traffic violations struck a humorous chord with some netizens. A user quipped, “We can earn more than IT professionals if this comes to India. Thinking of switching careers already!” Another wrote, “If India adopts this, it could expand the taxpayer base from 1.3% to 50%.”
Experts caution that implementing Vietnam’s policy in India would require addressing challenges like false reporting, privacy issues, and ensuring fair fines. However, they also believe it could foster greater responsibility among drivers and pedestrians.
"Vietnam’s new 'snitch to earn' system for traffic violations could be a game-changer. If adopted in India, we might see more people earning from fines than some IT professionals! 🤔
— Kusum Mishra (@KusumMi77984401)
subscribe to Asianet Newsable WhatsApp channel by clicking here.