Recent checks by Ho Chi Minh City traffic police have revealed that a number of motorbike ride‑hailing drivers were operating while intoxicated. The incidents highlight a serious safety issue for passengers and a potential threat to the drivers’ own livelihoods.

On 20 October, the Ban Co traffic police team stopped a driver who was waiting for bookings with his ride‑hailing app open; a breath test recorded 0.458 mg/L of alcohol. In a second case, a driver carrying a passenger registered an even higher concentration of 0.475 mg/L, both figures surpassing the 0.4 mg/L threshold for the highest penalty bracket.

Both drivers were fined VND8‑10 million (≈US$300‑380). They also received licence suspensions of 22‑24 months, the maximum sanction for motorbike riders under Vietnamese traffic regulations.

Police warned that such drink‑driving puts the lives, health and property of passengers and other road users at serious risk. They also noted that these violations can tarnish a driver’s reputation, jeopardise his livelihood and erode customer trust.

The traffic police urged ride‑hailing companies to strengthen communication, monitoring and management so that drivers do not operate under the influence. They called on every driver to accept personal responsibility and avoid drinking before any trip, however short.