It took me 5 minutes to pay a traffic fine in the US

"I am a motorcyclist from a province who once violated a traffic rule in the city, where I was caught and had my papers confiscated. On the appointed day, I had to go to the district's traffic penalty office.

But this office was not located in the center of the district; it was at the foot of the mountain, on the edge of the district. When I got there, I was given a ticket and told to pay the fine at the Treasury.

I don't remember whether I paid at the Treasury or via a bank transfer, but both places were located in the district center. So, I went back to the center, paid the fine, and returned to the office to submit the documents and get my papers back.

I didn't have to go as many times as the HCMC driver, but it was enough to make me reconsider and avoid traffic violations in the future."

This story was shared by reader nhatquyetcons, who reflected on their experience of paying a fine for encroaching on a car lane. The comment was written in response to an article detailing one reader's journey of paying a fine by traveling 800 km to a province four times.

Traffic on Park Avenue, New York City, U.S. Photo by Reuters

In the same thread, xuahien, a reader from the U.S., shared their experience: "I was traveling in Houston, Texas, and drove on a toll highway. I live 500 km from Houston, so I didn't register to pay the toll when driving. Two weeks later, I received a letter informing me that I had violated the toll policy.

The letter provided a link to pay the toll and fine, with a specified deadline. When I received the letter, it took me only 5 minutes to resolve the issue.

If I had to go through the same process as the HCMC driver, it would have taken me six working days, meaning I would lose $1,700 in income, which also results in a loss of income tax for the government. If there are 1,000 or 100,000 similar cases, this would mean a significant loss in income tax.

Additionally, taking time off work increases the risk of losing my job, and if I lose my job, the government or insurance company must cover unemployment benefits."

Reader yellowspirit2k shared another perspective: "In the U.K., if you commit a violation such as running a red light, speeding, or not wearing a seat belt, you will receive a fine receipt sent by post to your registered home address. Then, you can pay the fine online.

If you don't pay, you will receive a court summons, which is much more troublesome. This method helps limit the number of trips people need to make between provinces."

Some readers suggested using technology and citizen data to improve the system.

Reader baokhanh979 wrote: "In my opinion, the agency could now implement the following steps:

- Link the owner's phone SIM and vehicle registration.

- Most citizens are registered with citizen identification cards. When a fine occurs, the system should be able to identify the vehicle owner and send a text message or notification via the electronic ID card to resolve the issue.

- The vehicle owner can immediately know about the violation and pay the fine in a timely manner."

ngocphuong also shared their thoughts: "While heavy fines are justified, there are many aspects of the system that need improvement. The process can be simplified into these following steps:

- Step 1: Notify the vehicle owner via an app.

- Step 2: The vehicle owner verifies whether they were driving or if someone else was driving, with proof (photos, time, and coordinates). If someone else was driving, the driver’s information must be provided.

- Step 3: If the vehicle owner or the second person confirms via the app, the system will generate a QR code to pay the fine. If the driver does not verify the information within 3 days or disagrees with the fine, they must visit the authorities to explain."