24 people are killed and 60 others injured in road accidents every day in Vietnam, Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh revealed at a Hanoi conference on December 22.

Two passenger buses collided in Binh Thuan Province, killing 12 people on May 22.

Speaking at the Vietnam Traffic Safety Conference 2016, Binh said that road safety was one of the country’s greatest development challenges and predicted the number of people killed in traffic accidents would continue to rise if no urgent action was taken.

A report by the National Traffic Safety Committee showed that 4,362 people were killed and 8,939 others injured in 10,227 road accidents in the first half of 2016.

There were some serious accidents involving passenger buses including one in Binh Thuan Province on May 22 and one in Lam Dong Province on June 4 which killed 20 people and injured dozens of others, the report said.

The report blamed the high numbers of fatalities on inadequate transport policies that must be changed to prioritise people and road safety over vehicles, highways and speed.

There are many simple, affordable and tested interventions that can be undertaken such as enforcing the rules on crash helmets, seat belts and drinking and driving, which would strengthen vehicle safety, the report suggested.

According to Binh, other measures that could help prevent road deaths include stronger vehicle safety regulations requiring citizens to maintain safe vehicles as well as regulations preventing vehicle manufacturers from producing unsafe vehicles.

Better road safety strategies also play a pivotal role in making the countries roadways safer, he concluded. 

Dtinews