PM stresses technological applications in traffic management

Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc underlined the need to intensify technological applications in managing traffic safety while speaking at a teleconference in Hanoi on July 22.

He lauded smart traffic management centres established by cities which exchange data with relevant agencies.

The infrastructure quality should be improved in order to meet the rapid development of vehicles, focusing on major facilities like elevated railway and metro, the PM said.

Drastic measures are needed to accelerate the implementation of the non-stop toll collection model, he said, noting that the better communication work, especially among youths, would help to raise public awareness of traffic safety.

At the meeting, the leader asked the Ministry of Transport to promptly make suggestions towards amending the 2018 Law on Road Traffic, and the Ministry of Justice to propose building the law on handling administrative violations in the sector with stricter punishment.

He pointed out institutional shortcomings in ensuring traffic safety in the road, railway, water and aviation spheres, especially flight safety.

The PM touched upon the high numbers of deaths and injuries caused by traffic accidents, traffic jams in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and other big cities, and drunk driving and drug-using drivers.

The National Traffic Safety Committee reported that 8,385 traffic accidents were recorded in the first six months of this year, killing 3,810 people and injuring 6,358 others. The figures dropped as compared with the same period last year.

Traffic police handled nearly 2 million cases of traffic violations, with fines exceeding 1.2 trillion VND (51.6 million USD), 163,990 driving licences confiscated and 292,000 vehicles seized. -VNA