Despite safety improvements, traffic deaths are still an alarming issue in Vietnam at 30 deaths per day on average.
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| An accident between a train and a car in Hanoi (Photo by Tien Nguyen) |
The data released by the Road and Railway Traffic Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security, showed that in the first 6 months of this year, traffic accidents rose by 524 cases (8.7%) compared to the same period of last year; and the number of injuries increased by 1,008 people (26%). However, the total number of traffic-deaths decreased by 111 (1.94%).
The whole country experienced 6,559 road accidents, resulting in 5,610 deaths and 4,885 injuries in the first half of 2010, an average of 30 deaths per day. At the same time, 276 railway cases were reported with 126 deaths and 172 injuries.
The statistics also revealed that 3,060,840 road traffic violation cases were filed in the first six months of 2010. Among the cases, punishment fees collected were VND683.2 billion ($35,543,700). 99,034 cases resulted in revoked drivers licenses while 12,498 cars, 394,539 motorbikes, and 10,924 other vehicles were temporarily confiscated by police.
There were 18,306 collision cases resulting in 23,217 injuries and causing VND13.9 billion ($720,357) in damages.
Particularly, after the new decree on imposing “heavy” punishment fees had been issued, the traffic safety and order situation has improved significantly. The awareness and responsibility of drivers is believed to have been bettered.
Senior lieutenant-colonel Tran Son (Vice Manager of the Traffic laws instruction and Propaganda Division under the Road and Railway Traffic Police Department) said, “It’s necessary to implement comprehensive solutions from now to the end of this year. The focus is directing, checking and patrolling intensively, as well as penalising violations on speed, the regulated number of people carried by vehicles, the amount of alcohol in blood of drivers or technical safety standards.”
For the month of July, in accordance with the direction of the Ministry of Security, the Road and Railway Traffic Police Department will strictly enforce violations on speed, the regulated number of people carried by vehicles, people not wearing helmets and obeying traffic lights.
