More than 5,600 traffic accidents were reported over the past two months of this year, killing nearly 2,000 people and injuring almost 5,800 others, a national online conference on traffic safety on March 25 heard.

The number of deaths increased by 300 from the same period last year, despite the fall in the number of accidents, it was reported.

The conference, attended by permanent member of the Party Central Committee Secretariat Le Hong Anh, was called to discuss the adoption of a decree on strictly implementing the task to ensure traffic safety and order.

Participants admitted that traffic violations had increased and traffic accidents were still serious and numerous, causing great damage to both people and property.

Road traffic accidents and congestion remained urgent issues throughout the whole nation, affecting the sustainability of economic, social and cultural development as well as the country’s image.

Many participants stressed the role of authorities in renewing information dissemination, fighting traffic violations and improving infrastructure.

Speaking at the conference, Anh said measures to ensure traffic order were not strong enough while traffic infrastructure was failing to keep up with the increase in the number of vehicles on the roads.

Inspection and guideline tasks were not being carried out properly and some traffic participants lacked awareness of traffic rules, he added.

Anh said ministries and agencies should diversify publicity campaigns to raise public awareness of traffic rules while focusing on developing traffic infrastructure.

Strengthening transport links by road, waterway and railway were also essential to helping ease the load for road transport activities, he said.

He noted that it was important to check and finalise legal documents about traffic safety and order and clearly define responsibilities and individuals in ensuring traffic safety and order.

The Secretariat of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee issued Decree No 18 – CT/TW in September, 2012, which targeted to reduce traffic accidents by between 5 – 10 percent each year.-VNA