Traffic accidents reduce in first two quarters

Hanoi (VNA) – Drops were recorded in the numbers of road traffic accidents, traffic deaths and injuries nationwide in the first two quarters of 2018, according to the National Traffic Safety Committee.

From January to the end of August, the country saw 11,782 road accidents, a decrease of 7.77 percent from the same period 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 the first eight months was a crash of a wedding party van on National Highway 1A crossing central Quang Nam province on July 30. Some 13 people, including the groom and his family members, were killed while four others were severely injured after their van collided with a container truck going in the opposite direction.

In August, there were 1,432 accidents on the road, killing 650 people and wounding 1,094 others, down 10.67 percent, 1.66 percent and 15.72 percent, respectively, against the same month last year.

The National Traffic Safety Committee has urged ministries, state agencies and cities and provinces to strictly enforce measures adopted by the government to ensure traffic safety and reduce traffic accidents and congestion in September, particularly during the National Day holiday and the first days of the 2018 – 2019 academic year.

The committee has partnered with the Ministry of Education and Training to launch a month-long special operation on traffic 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 years of the mandatory helmet regulations, more than 90 percent of adults observe the law, which has helped cut the number of traffic accident facilities to below 9,000 each year.

However, the number of children wearing helmets remains low, which is the leading reason for the increasing rate of child deaths and injuries during traffic 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 also started a campaign engaging veterans in promoting better traffic culture among the people. –VNA