Is it illegal to stop a car against traffic flow?

Is it allowed to park a car in the opposite direction of traffic flow?

According to Article 3 of the 2008 Road Traffic Law, drivers must follow the regulations when stopping or parking on the road: Park the vehicle in a place with a wide road shoulder or outside the roadway; in case of a narrow shoulder or no shoulder, park the vehicle close to the right edge of the road in the direction of travel.

Furthermore, in Article 4 of the 2008 Road Traffic Law, it is stated that drivers are not allowed to park at the following locations: On the left side of a one-way road; on curved road sections and near obstructed views; on bridges, overpasses; parallel to another parked vehicle...

Therefore, parking in the opposite direction of traffic flow is a violation of the law.

Parking in the opposite direction of traffic flow can cause congestion and pose a risk of traffic accidents (Photo illustration: Cao Bang Province Electronic Information Portal).

Fines for parking a car in the opposite direction of traffic flow

Article 2 of Decree 100/2019/ND-CP and Decree 123/2021/ND-CP stipulate a fine of 400,000 VND to 600,000 VND for drivers who park their car not close to the right edge of the road in places where the road shoulder is narrow or non-existent; park in the opposite direction of traffic flow; park on a fixed median strip between two lanes...

If an accident is caused while committing the above violation, the driver may also have their driver's license suspended for 2 to 4 months.

The fine mentioned above is relatively light compared to the potential danger it can cause. Parking in the opposite direction like that will definitely go against the traffic flow, obstruct traffic, and increase the risk of collision with vehicles moving in the correct direction.

Therefore, when parking is necessary, drivers should turn the vehicle around and park in the correct direction as specified.