Is it illegal to turn on the turn signal without turning?

Administrative sanctions in the road sector are regulated in Decree 100100/2019 issued by the Government in 2019. The Decree does not specify any errors related to turning on or not turning on the turn signal, but only generally regulates the error of not giving a warning signal.

Decree 100/2019, amended by Decree 123/2021/ND-CP, also does not specify any errors related to turning on or not turning on, only specifies errors related to changing direction or lane without prior signal.

Accordingly, Decree 100/2019 was amended by Decree 123/2021/ND-CP, regulating violations related to changing direction and lane without prior signal as follows:

For motorbikes

- Fine of 100,000 VND - 200,000 VND for changing lanes without signaling as prescribed (point i, clause 1, Article 6, Decree 100/2019/ND-CP).

- Fine of 400,000 VND - 600,000 VND for changing direction without reducing speed or without signaling; driving a vehicle to turn left at a place where there is a sign prohibiting left turns for the type of vehicle being driven and vice versa for right turns (Point a, Clause 3, Article 6, Decree 100/2019/ND-CP).

Da Nang Traffic Police regulate traffic.

For cars

- Fine of 400,000 VND - 600,000 VND for changing lanes without signaling (Point a, Clause 2, Article 5, Decree 100/2019/ND-CP).

- Fine of 800,000 VND - 1 million VND for turning without signaling (point c, clause 3, Article 5, Decree 100/2019/ND-CP).

- Fine of 4 million - 6 million VND and revocation of driving license from 1 - 3 months for changing lanes without signaling when driving on the highway.

Tractors, special purpose vehicles

Fine of 800,000 VND - 1 million VND for changing lanes without signaling when driving on the highway (point d, clause 4 and point a, clause 10, Article 7, Decree 100/2019/ND-CP).

Compared with the above regulations, there is no such thing as signaling without changing direction or signaling without changing lanes. Decree 100 only regulates the errors of changing direction or changing lanes without signaling.

Decree 100 does not yet stipulate the penalty for using the wrong turn signal. However, the 2008 Road Traffic Law stipulates that when changing direction, the driver must reduce speed and signal the direction of the turn.

Therefore, signaling left but turning right or vice versa does not indicate the direction of the turn and can be dangerous for the vehicles following behind. Therefore, signaling the wrong direction can still be punished as a case of changing direction without signaling.

CHAU THU

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