Police parade major roads in Long Xuyen to call for better public awareness of traffic safety (Photo: http://baoangiang.com.vn) An Giang (VNA) – The majority of localities in the Mekong Delta region saw a sharp decrease in the numbers of traffic accidents, fatalities and injured in the first nine months of this year, heard a Traffic Safety Day event held in Long Xuyen city, An Giang province on October 10.
According to the National Committee for Traffic Safety, five localities in the region – Kien Giang, Bac Lieu, Tra Vinh, An Giang and Ben Tre - saw a drop of over 30 percent in the number of fatalities caused by traffic accidents.
The falls in accidents were recorded in 11 out of 13 regional localities, contributing to a reduction of 5 percent in the number of road deaths across the whole country, the sharpest decline since 2014.
Nationwide, 12,700 traffic accidents occurred in the first nine months of 2019, killing 5,659 people and injuring9,619 others, representing decreases of 4.28 percent, 5.87 percent and 6.78 percent, respectively.
Khuat Viet Hung, Vice Chairman of the National Committee for Traffic Safety, said that although traffic safety has seen progress over the years, more than 8,000 people die in traffic accidents each year.
“In order to reduce traffic accidents, we need to apply comprehensive measures such as upgrading infrastructure, enhancing State management, applying stricter punishments for violations and increasing awareness of traffic laws,” he said.
He also stressed the need to encourage people not to drive after drinking alcohol.
Le Van Nung, Vice Chairman of the An Giang provincial People’s Committee, expressed his hope that the Traffic Safety Day 2019 will help raise public awareness, thus reducing traffic accidents./.
VNA
