A new law requiring helmets on some major roads appears to have had little impact. Violators get only warnings from police. Surviving Vietnam's roads requires a good horn, good brakes - and lots of good luck. About 95 percent of the traffic is on two wheels, dominated by small motorbikes that are perfect to putt along at under 35 mph and roll up onto the sidewalk to park. At least a few motorbikes or bicycles run every stoplight.
People make left turns from the far right and vice versa.
Youths weave dangerously through congestion, missing other vehicles by fractions of an inch. Many motorbikes have no mirrors, a favored target of thieves. Last year, Vietnam reported 21,538 accidents with 7,095 deaths and 21,538 injuries. The government estimates Vietnam's 78 million people have 6 million motorbikes, with half a million more each year and few taken out of service. The country has about 400,000 cars.