About 65-70 percent of traffic accidents involve motorcycles, and more than 90 percent of traffic deaths are related to motorcycle accidents, according to Le Van Dat from the Institute for Transport Strategy and Development, speaking on February 12th at the National Traffic Safety Committee's workshop on "Solutions to enhance road safety for motorcyclists and motorcyclists in Vietnam".

Le Kim Thanh, Deputy Chief of the National Traffic Safety Committee, noted that motorcycles remain the primary means of transport for Vietnamese. By the end of 2024, the country had 77 million registered motorcycles.

Thanh believes that by 2030 and beyond, motorcycles will continue to be owned and used. 

"In the context of current inadequacies in road infrastructure, relatively low personal income, and the lack of adequate public transport services in many provinces and cities, motorcycles remain the preferred mode of transportation, playing a crucial role in the livelihood and daily life of the population,” Thanh said. 

Even in Hanoi and HCM City, which have the most developed transport infrastructure in the country, the public transport system meets only 10-15 percent of travel needs,” he added.

The road density per land areas and the number of buses per one million people remain significantly lower than many cities in Asia.

"If the expansion of road networks and public transport means (such as trains and buses) continues at the current rate, the level of infrastructure and public transport services provided in the next 10 years will not meet demand, and motorcycles will still be the preferred means of transport,” he said.

However, despite many advantages, motorbikes are not as safe as cars. A report showed that motorcycles are involved in 65-70 percent of traffic accidents.

Dat pointed out traffic problems where motorbikes are dominant, including the high percentage of motorbike drivers not wearing a helmet or the use of low-quality helmets, especially in rural areas.  In Hanoi, 19 percent of motorbike drivers use substandard helmets.

Tran Huu Minh, Office Chief of the National Traffic Safety Committee, said traffic accidents involving motorcycles often occur due to lack of observation when crossing roads, uncontrolled speed, and ignorance of traffic laws.

There is a very high risk of traffic accidents for students driving motorcycles and electric bicycles who lack adequate knowledge and skills to participate in traffic.

Meanwhile, many national highways lack dedicated lanes for non-motorized vehicles, and urban roads maintain a mixed traffic model. These are the roads where the accident rates with motorcycles are very high.

Dat believes that there should be dedicated lanes for motorcycles in areas with high traffic volume. Also, policies should be designed in a way to encourage people to use public transport. 

N. Huyen