Vice Chairman of the National Safety Traffic Committee Khuat Viet Hung addresses the launching ceremony. (Source: antoangiaothong.gov) The slogan Don't Drink and Drive will be placed on 1,000 buses running in the capital starting on October 12 to raise traffic safety awareness of passers-by and curb the number of accidents in the country due to alcohol.
This action is part of the campaign Don't Drink and Drive which was launched on October 10 by Vietnam's National Traffic Safety Committee, the Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Public Security and the Vietnam Association for Responsible Drinking (VARD).
Khuat Viet Hung, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam National Safety Traffic Committee said that the campaign aimed to raise driver awareness of the danger of alcohol and the country's strict punishments to those who do not respect the regulation on alcohol level.
The slogan will be displayed on the capital's 70 bus lines of Hanoi Transport and Services Corporation (Transerco) which operate from 5am to 10pm.
"It's the efficient way to communicate to the passers-by and passengers on the bus about the danger of alcohol when they drink before driving," Hung said.
"After a one month trial in Hanoi, we will suggest to the Vietnam Car Transport Association to place this slogan on buses nation-wide, so more passengers on the bus and passers-by can be aware of the danger of alcohol for drivers," he said.
Hung also said that alcohol remained one of the main causes of traffic accidents.
According to him, over the last nine years, traffic accidents have decreased rapidly.
"However, the number of accidents and the injured and dead is still high. In particular, many drivers still violate the traffic regulations: They exceed the posted speed limits, encroach onto other road lanes, and violate alcohol restrictions."
According to statistics of the World Health Association, 37 percent of 18,000 victims of traffic accidents in the North of Vietnam have surpassed the legal alcohol level of 50mg/100ml. Fifty-nine per cent of victims who die of traffic accidents because of alcohol are aged from 15 to 29 years old. Twenty-four percent of those victims are aged from 30 to 44 years old. Ninety-three percent of the victims are men.
Nguyen Van Viet, Chairman of Vietnam Beer Alcohol Beverage Association (VBA) and VARD, said that he believed that this campaign would be efficient in raising the inhabitants' awareness about respect for traffic safety rules in general and those of alcohol in particular.-VNA
