To make traffic in Vietnam safer, authorities have introduced a reward for informants who film and report violations.

Driving in Vietnam is dangerous. The country has the highest number of road fatalities in the world. Reckless driving is cited as the main cause. Vietnam has started to crack down on this. One way to tackle the deadly traffic is to offer cash rewards to people who film a traffic accident and send the evidence to the police.

Since the beginning of this year, recording and reporting a traffic violation has been accompanied by a reward of up to five million Vietnamese dong, which corresponds to 191 euros. The amount depends on the severity of the violation. Ten percent of the fine for the violator is transferred to the account of the person who reported and recorded the violation.

The reward program does not apply to tourists. The funds from the fines collected will be used to improve traffic safety.

Since January 1, fines for some types of violations have been increased by 30 to 50 times. Failure to secure the load being transported is punishable by a fine of 18 million dong ($700), leaving a door open in an unsafe place is punishable by a fine of 860 dollars, and of course, there is a fine for the strange habit of local drivers to steer with their feet. The latter is punishable by 1,900 euros.

Last year, by November, 21,691 accidents were registered in the country, in which 10,026 people died and 16,103 were injured. Compared to a year earlier, collisions increased by 5.67 percent, with the number of deaths increasing by 7.89 percent, or a 13.43 percent increase in people with injuries.