Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee, asked to reduce the number of dead people because of traffic at a meeting to review 5 year traffic safety for the period 2011-2015 held on December 8 in Hanoi.

Deputy PM Phuc requested the Ministry of Transport and its related agencies to conduct more measures to decrease traffic accidents, deaths from 9,000 to 5,000 per year.

Transport Minister Dinh La Thang said that after 5 years implementation of traffic safety and the government’s decree, there have positive changes in traffic situation. Compared to 2011, the number of traffic accidents decreased by 50 percent; the number of dealths reduced by 23.7 percent and the number of injuries were down by 60 percent.

Yet there have been still severe traffic accidents and the number of traffic-related deaths is still high in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, the Mekong delta province of Vinh Long and the northern province of Son La. Some provinces have high rate of marine and railway traffic accidents.

Especially, traffic gridlocks in two big cities including Hanoi  and Ho Chi Minh City are worse when there is high tide and huge rains.

Participants proposed some measures to curb traffic accidents including enhancing public means of transportation. Speaking at the meeting, Deputy PM Phuc stressed that issuing penalties on violators is needed but educating them on traffic regulation and raising their awareness of traffic safety are more important.

Mr. Phuc launched movement amongst provinces to ensure traffic order with target of reducing 5-10 percent of traffic accidents; the number of deaths and injuries and traffic congestions.