Traffic deaths in the first quarter of this year rose by 0.7 percent against the same period last year, according to statistics from the National Committee for Traffic Safety.

The period saw more than 6,500 traffic accidents, killing nearly 2,600 people and injuring another 6,400.

The committee said in comparison with the same period last year, the number of accidents and injured declined by 21.54 percent and 28.07 percent, respectively.

Road accidents still claimed the highest death toll - over 2,500 deaths - followed by rail accidents 42 and waterways 15.

According to the committee, motorists without safe helmets, drunken driving, overloaded buses, speeding are still key reasons for the accidents among others.-VNA