Following a series of serious traffic accidents involving foreign tourists renting self-drive motorbikes in coastal tourist destinations, authorities in Khanh Hoa and Lam Dong provinces have simultaneously tightened oversight of motorbike rental services and stepped up inspections of drivers in an effort to restore traffic safety and protect the image of local tourism.
In early May 2026, a serious traffic accident occurred on Tran Phu Street in Nha Trang Ward, Khanh Hoa Province. A 35-year-old Russian man identified as S.K. was riding a motorbike after consuming alcohol, with a blood alcohol concentration measured at 268.8mg per 100ml of blood, when he fatally struck a 70-year-old woman crossing the street. The incident once again raised concerns over traffic safety violations involving foreign visitors in coastal tourist cities.
In recent years, foreign riders in Nha Trang and North Nha Trang wards have frequently been seen operating motorbikes without helmets, speeding, weaving through traffic, and performing dangerous maneuvers, particularly between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. along major roads such as Tran Phu, Pham Van Dong, and Nguyen Thi Minh Khai streets. Authorities said many visitors are unfamiliar with Vietnam’s traffic conditions, sometimes driving in the wrong lanes or operating vehicles after drinking alcohol, increasing the risk of accidents.
In Mui Ne Ward, Lam Dong Province, where many international visitors stay for extended periods, the situation surrounding foreign tourists renting self-drive motorbikes had previously become increasingly complicated. In the past, many rental businesses handed over vehicles without thoroughly checking international driving permits or explaining Vietnam’s traffic regulations to customers. As a result, several serious accidents occurred.
In late November 2024, two foreign tourists riding motorbikes collided head-on near the Da Ong Dia area, leaving two people dead and another seriously injured. In an earlier incident, a Russian tourist riding a motorbike collided with a married couple, killing the husband.
In response, traffic police in Khanh Hoa and Lam Dong provinces have intensified patrols and imposed stricter penalties for violations. Authorities now require motorbike rental businesses to carefully verify valid international driving permits. Foreign nationals operating vehicles in Vietnam must carry both a valid international driving permit and a valid domestic driver’s license.
Lieutenant Colonel Dao Xuan Truong, head of the police force in Nha Trang Ward, said the ward is home to numerous motorbike rental businesses serving tourists. Local police have launched inspections of these establishments and required business owners to sign commitments pledging compliance with regulations governing business conditions, driver licensing, insurance, and vehicle safety. Rental operators were also instructed not to hand over vehicles to unqualified customers.
Meanwhile, authorities in Mui Ne Ward have coordinated with local police to conduct public awareness campaigns and administrative inspections, while requiring self-drive motorbike rental businesses to sign compliance commitments. To date, many rental operators in Mui Ne Ward have tightened their rental procedures, requiring customers to present passports and valid international driving permits before signing rental contracts. Some businesses have firmly refused to rent vehicles to customers who fail to meet the requirements.
