Among the most serious accidents in the first eight months was a crash of a wedding party van on National Highway 1A crossing central Quang Nam province on July 30.(Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Drops wererecorded in the numbers of road traffic accidents, traffic deaths and injuriesnationwide in the first two quarters of 2018, according to the National TrafficSafety Committee.
From January to the end of August, thecountry saw 11,782 road accidents, a decrease of 7.77 percent from the sameperiod last year. Those accidents claimed 5,366 lives and injured 1,334 people,down 1.03 percent and 12.66 percent, respectively, year-on-year.
Among the most serious accidents in thefirst eight months was a crash of a wedding party van on National Highway 1Acrossing central Quang Nam province on July 30. Some 13 people, including thegroom and his family members, were killed while four others were severelyinjured after their van collided with a container truck going in the oppositedirection.
InAugust, there were 1,432 accidents on the road, killing 650 people and wounding1,094 others, down 10.67 percent, 1.66 percent and 15.72 percent, respectively,against the same month last year.
The National Traffic Safety Committeehas urged ministries, state agencies and cities and provinces to strictlyenforce measures adopted by the government to ensure traffic safety and reducetraffic accidents and congestion in September, particularly during the NationalDay holiday and the first days of the 2018 – 2019 academic year.
The committee has partnered with theMinistry of Education and Training to launch a month-long special operation ontraffic safety for students in September and give away helmets for 1st graders of the new school year across the nation.
Statistics showed that after ten yearsof the mandatory helmet regulations, more than 90 percent of adults observe thelaw, which has helped cut the number of traffic accident facilities to below9,000 each year.
However, the number of children wearing helmets remains low, which is theleading reason for the increasing rate of child deaths and injuries duringtraffic accidents. About 2,000 Vietnamese children are killed in traffic accidents every year,mainly due to a lack of public awareness of the importance of helmets.
Vietnamese war veteran association has alsostarted a campaign engaging veterans in promoting better traffic culture amongthe people. –VNA
VNA
