How much can I be fined for stopping in the shade at a red light?

Hot weather makes many vehicles when stopping at red lights at intersections often choose a place with shade even though it is quite far from the traffic light area. So, is choosing a shady place to "take shelter" when stopping at red lights a violation of road traffic laws?

Accordingly, the act of stopping a vehicle in the shade not only violates the provisions of the Road Traffic Law, but also poses a potential risk to the safety of the driver and other vehicles on the road.

Specifically, according to the 2008 Road Traffic Law, traffic participants must comply with the commands and instructions of the road signal system. In which, traffic lights are one of the road signal systems.

According to Clause 5, Article 10 of the 2008 Road Traffic Law: "Road markings are lines indicating the division of lanes, locations or directions, and stopping locations".

At the position before the traffic light, there is usually a horizontal line. According to the National Technical Regulation on Road Signs QCVN 41:2019/BGTVT issued with Circular No. 54/2019/TT-BGTVT dated December 31, 2019, this horizontal line is called a stop line. According to point G2.1 of the above standard, the stop line is used to determine the position where the vehicle stops to wait for the signal to continue. The stop line is used to determine the position where the driver must stop when there is a red light signal.

Accordingly, when stopping at traffic signals, traffic participants must pay attention to stopping at the correct road markings and not stop too far from the stop line.

In case the shaded area is also the area where there is a stop line and the driver stops right there, it is still in accordance with the regulations.

In the case of choosing shade to stop at a red light but this shade is not in the designated stopping position according to the road markings, is not a permitted stopping and parking position, it may obstruct traffic, affect other traffic participants and may be subject to administrative penalties.

According to Point k, Clause 1, Article 8 of Decree 100/2019/ND-CP (amended and supplemented by Decree 123/2021/ND-CP dated December 28, 2021), bicycle and motorbike drivers who park their vehicles on urban roads or sidewalks in violation of the law; park their vehicles on urban roads causing traffic obstruction, park their vehicles on tram tracks, or park their vehicles on bridges causing traffic obstruction shall be fined from VND 80,000 to VND 100,000.

For drivers of motorbikes, mopeds (including electric motorbikes), motorbike-like vehicles and motorbike-like vehicles, the fine will be 300,000 - 400,000 VND for stopping or parking on urban roadsides, causing traffic obstruction; gathering 3 or more vehicles on roadsides or in road tunnels; parking or leaving vehicles on urban roadsides or sidewalks in violation of the law (Point d, Clause 2, Article 6, Decree 100/2019/ND-CP (amended and supplemented by Decree 123/2021/ND-CP dated December 28, 2021).

Drivers who do not comply with the commands and instructions of traffic signs and road markings shall be fined from VND 300,000 to VND 400,000; those who stop or park illegally, causing traffic congestion, may be fined from VND 2,000,000 to VND 3,000,000 according to (Point a, Clause 1; Point d, Clause 4, Article 5 of Decree 100/2019/ND-CP (amended and supplemented by Decree 123/2021/ND-CP dated December 28, 2021).

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