Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has approved a proposal to use traffic cameras in many streets in the capital city of Hanoi to make sure car drivers are staying on the right side of the road and observing all the other rules.

Hanoi Police Director Major General Nguyen Duc Chung made the proposal at a meeting last week after the success of a pilot scheme on roads leading to Hanoi from Hai Phong and Ninh Binh.

Chung said that the move will help curb traffic violations and accidents in the city.

As in many Western nations, police will use photos showing any violations to gain convictions, he said.

Violators will see how and when they drove in the wrong lane, he said, adding that it is expected to quickly raise their awareness of traffic rules.

Violators will receive higher fines if they re-offend, he noted.

Vice Chairman of the National Committee for Road Safety Khuat Viet Hung welcomed the proposal, saying that Hanoi should now install the cameras in major streets and they will track motor vehicles entering and leaving the city.

Senior lieutenant colonel Dao Vinh Thang, head of Hanoi's Transport Police, said the first cameras had been installed along routes from Phap Van Street in Hanoi to Ninh Binh province and from Hanoi to Hai Phong city.

Last year, thanks to cameras, police caught 460 violators, mostly coach and truck drivers, he said, adding that if cameras are installed in every main street, they will reduce traffic violations.

However, Do Thang, a local resident, wondered how effective the move will be if it does not target motorbike riders, claiming the move is unfair for motor drivers.

Bui Van Dat, a taxi driver, said he thinks imposing fines on violations is good idea. "However, there should be a clear system of road signs so that drivers know if they are breaking the law," he said.

He said motorbike drivers are often in the wrong lane, therefore, the cameras should also target them to be fair to everyone.-VNA