Police forces parade around Hoan Kiem Lake on motorbikes and in cars at the Traffic Safety Year 2023 ceremony on February 9. (Photo: VNA) The initiative, with the theme "Understanding the Law to Build a Safe TrafficCulture," was launched at a ceremony in the capital.
The campaign's objective is to promote a safer traffic culture by increasingpublic awareness of traffic laws and order, mitigating prolonged trafficcongestion and reducing the number of accidents.
During the launch, Minister of Transport and Standing Vice Chairman of theNational Traffic Safety Committee Nguyen Van Thang reported that the previousyear's efforts to improve traffic safety had already significantly reducedaccidents, deaths, and injuries.
Thang said that last year, many large-scale political, cultural and sportsevents were held after the COVID-19 pandemic was brought under control, leadingto a strong increase in transport demand and the number of vehicles on roadsand waterways.
The target could be reached with the resolute implementation of comprehensivemeasures on traffic accident prevention and control and with the participationof the whole political system and society, he said.
This year is expected to increase the number of vehicles, posing morechallenges for ensuring traffic order and safety. He warned that the risks oftraffic accidents would be high if there were no drastic solutions to theissue.
Thang asked ministries, branches and localities to be very cautious and makegreater efforts to curb traffic accidents, ensure traffic safety and strengtheninspection and handling violations of traffic regulations.
Addressing the conference held by the National Committee for Traffic Safety onreviewing traffic safety in 2022 and launching tasks for 2023 on Thursday, Thangrequested ministries and sectors propose specific tasks and solutions toachieve the goal of reducing traffic accidents by at least 10% in each localityand gradually reducing traffic congestions in traffic hubs in big cities.
According to a report made by the National Committee for Traffic Safety, in2022, 11,457 traffic accidents occurred nationwide, causing 6,397 deaths and7,804 injuries.
The numbers represent a drop of 38 accidents (0.33%), an increase of 598 fatalities(10.31%) and a reduction of 214 injuries from the previous year.
Of the accidents, 11,323 cases were on the roads, killing 6,265 people andleaving 7,777 injured; 32 traffic accidents on waterways, killing 45 andleaving six others injured; 95 cases of railway accidents, killing 74 andinjuring 21; and seven traffic accidents in sea routes, killing 13.
Analysis showed that 14.56% of accidents were caused by driving in the wronglane; 3.22% by speeding; 2.02% by drunk driving; 0.03% by using addictivesubstances; and 0.45% due to illegal parking.
Khuat Viet Hung, Vice Chairman of the committee, said the work of ensuringtraffic safety in 2022 revealed shortcomings and failed to meet targets.
For example, railway traffic safety corridor violations have notbeen handled promptly. He added that overloaded trucks, illegal motorbikeracing and traffic jams in big cities have remained unsolved.
Low awareness of traffic participants, a shortage of human resources, andinadequate public infrastructure also contributed to the issue.
At the conference, Minister Thang asked relevant authorities to speed upprogress and ensure the quality of projects to upgrade and repair trafficinfrastructures, strengthen inspections on means of transport, and tighten themanagement of traffic safety conditions for transportation businesses./.
VNA
