The World Health Organization recommended Vietnam to increase penalties on drunk driving, aiming at detering people from breaking the regulation at a meeting on traffic accidents yesterday.

The meeting was held by the National Traffic Safety Committee and World Health Organization to review five year implementation of the program 'Global Road Safety Program Interventions' funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

A report issued by WHO says that there has been a fourfold increase in road traffic accidents within ten years. It is estimated that the damage cost of traffic accidents is equivalent to  2 percent of the country's GDP.

The Bloomberg's  program has actively helped to strengthen management ability of related agencies as well as raise  people's awareness and propose amendments.

Basing on its study, a representative from WHO recommended that it needed to include program of traffic safety into curriculum in all levels of schools as well as issue harsher penalties on drunk driving to deter violators and raise traffic warden's capability.

Thanks to the program's effort, after five years, there has been a reduction in the number of traffic accidents and victims, fewer drunk drivers, more people wearing helmet while driving motocycles, the report says.