Vietnam’s citizens have started to earn revenue by reporting violations of traffic rules. Under this unique scheme, if one citizen reports another, say, for the violation of the traffic rule, the citizen gets 10 percent of the entire fine that is collected from the violator. This initiative aims at getting two birds with one stone-it induces the populace into being law-abiding citizens and minimizes the occurrence of accidents on the roads by engaging the citizens directly into law enforcement.
This policy has generated a great deal of debate internationally, including the great Indian subcontinent, where road safety is a growing concern. Given that this country has an overwhelmingly large population and numerous incidences of violation, any such policy could be a game-changer for road discipline. Imagine the great potential: people could earn more than some IT professionals simply by reporting reckless drivers if put into practice!
Excellent initiatives from Vietnam; however, the application in India can come with a lot of challenges such as false reporting, privacy issues, and fair fines, yet experts believe that it would bring in more responsibility for both drivers and pedestrians.
The idea may seem contentious beginning with the very word “snitching,” but it helps accentuate the need for out-of-the-box thinking to resolve traffic violations. Be it “snitch-to-earn” or reward in any form, in one sense or the other, this initiative is undoubtedly one step ahead toward the vision of safer roads not just for Vietnam, but also for countries like India.