HÀ NỘI – It was unreasonable to deny inspecting and qualifying cars just because the previous owners had not paid traffic fines, according to a former Traffic Police Department official. 

Recently, some people who purchased second-hand cars said they were denied car certification because the previous owners had committed traffic violations and not paid the fines.

According to the Việt Nam Register, from January to September 15 this year, more than 16,000 car drivers nationwide violated traffic regulations. The offences were detected by cameras or speed measurement devices.

Police patrol teams noted the registration numbers of these cars and sent notices to their colleagues where the vehicles were registered. The car owners were informed about these violations and the amount of the fines. They were also told they were required to pay the fine at a police station.

The agency said of the more than 16,000 cars caught flouting the rules, the original owners of only 5,000 had reportedly paid fines and these cars were eligible for quality certification conducted by the Việt Nam Register. The remaining 10,000 cars with unpaid fines were ineligible for inspection and qualification.

However, Colonel Trần Sơn, former deputy head of Law Instruction and Traffic Accident Inspection under the Traffic Police Department, Ministry of Public Security, opposed this decision.

“Imposing fines via camera and quality certification are different. Violating traffic regulations is the driver’s mistake, not the car’s,” Sơn told Tiền Phong (Vanguard) newspaper . “Denying car inspection and certification for vehicles whose owners still have to pay traffic violation fines is not legal.

“If car ownership is transferred, the owner must report the sale to authorised agencies. Otherwise, he or she must take responsibility (for the fines). It is under the management of the police, not the registration agency,” he said.

Lawyer Giang Hồng Thanh, a member of the Hà Nội Bar Association, said according to Circular 70/2015 of the Transport Ministry on inspecting technical safety and environmental protection for motor vehicles, only two situations left cars unqualified for inspection and certification -- motor vehicles which had important failures and damage - and those which had dangerous failures and damage.

“There is no statement that bans certification for cars whose previous owners have not paid fines,” he said.

“Traffic violators must be responsible for paying administrative fines, but their vehicles must still be certificated. In the case of delays or evading responsibility to pay fines, authorised agencies may apply coercive measures,” he said.

According to State regulations, besides initial certification for new cars, vehicles must be inspected and certificated by the Việt Nam Register once every three to 18 months, depending on the number of years they have been in use and the number of seats. – VNS