Is it allowed to use the phone at a red light?
According to the new regulations, when driving a motorbike at a red light, am I allowed to use my phone? This is a concern of Ms. Dang Minh Hao (Hung Nguyen, Nghe An).
Reply:Using the phone while driving is a dangerous behavior and can cause traffic accidents because using the phone distracts the driver.
Clause 6, Article 9 of the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety 2024 stipulates prohibited acts:
Article 9. Prohibited acts
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6. Using your hands to hold and use a phone or other electronic device while driving a vehicle on the road.
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Accordingly, one of the prohibited acts when driving a vehicle on the road is holding and using a phone or other electronic device.
Currently, the law does not specifically regulate whether or not driving a vehicle at a red light is considered a case of moving on the road. However, Article 18 of the 2024 Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety stipulates the following provisions on stopping and parking:
- Stopping a vehicle is a temporary state of rest of the vehicle for a period of time necessary for people to get on and off the vehicle, load and unload goods, inspect the vehicle's technical aspects or perform other activities. When stopping the vehicle, do not turn off the engine and do not leave the driving position, except in the case of leaving the driving position to close or open the vehicle door, load and unload goods, inspect the vehicle's technical aspects but must use the parking brake or take other safety measures.
- Parking is the state of a vehicle standing still for an unlimited period of time. When parking, the driver of a vehicle participating in road traffic may only leave the vehicle after using the parking brake or taking other safety measures. Vehicles parked on a slope must steer toward the curb and chock the wheels.
- On the road, drivers of vehicles participating in road traffic are only allowed to stop or park their vehicles in places with wide sidewalks or on land outside the roadway; in cases where the sidewalk is narrow or there is no sidewalk, they are only allowed to stop or park their vehicles close to the right edge of the road in the direction of travel.
- On the street, drivers of vehicles participating in road traffic are only allowed to stop or park their vehicles close to the curb or sidewalk on the right side of the road in the direction of travel; the nearest wheel must not be more than 0.25 meters from the curb or sidewalk and must not cause obstruction or danger to people and vehicles participating in road traffic.
Thus, it can be seen that stopping at a red light on the road is not considered a case of stopping or parking a vehicle, and the driver of a vehicle participating in traffic can still be punished according to the regulations for using a phone while participating in traffic. Therefore, if you want to use a mobile phone while participating in traffic, you should only use the phone when stopping or parking the vehicle according to the provisions of the law.