VietNamNet Bridge – The Deputy Prime Minister, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, has praised the country's efforts to deal with its traffic problems at a tele-conference between local and national authorities, praising provincial leaders for their efforts in making 2012 - the Year of Traffic Safety - a success.

A policewoman directs traffic at the intersection of Hang Bai and Trang Tien streets in central Hoan Kiem District, Ha Noi. For the first time in the capital, 20 policewomen have been assigned to control traffic in 10 areas within the city centre.

"This year is the first year in 10 years where the number of traffic deaths was less than 10,000. This success has been recognised as one of the outstanding achievements of the year by many media agencies," said Phuc, speaking in his capacity as Chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee.

The Minister of Transport, Dinh La Thang, who is Deputy Chairman of the Committee, announced that there were 1,647 fewer casualties in 2012 than the preceding year, and suggested that the newly released statistics offer some cause for optimism that safety is improving.

"The number of accidents and congestion was reduced sizeably - surpassing the targets set by the National Assembly," he said.

"In 2012, there were 36,400 traffic accidents, killing 9,849 people and injuring more than 38,000 others. Compared with the 2011 figures, traffic accidents dropped by 7,490 (17.06 per cent), fatalities by 1,647 (14.33 per cent) and injuries by 9,500 (20.02 per cent)."

Thang lauded the provinces and cities of Kien Giang and Can Tho in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta, Vinh Phuc in the North and Ha Tinh in the Central region for their outstanding success in tackling road safety problems.

Each achieved a reduction of over 30 per cent in the number of recorded accidents, fatalities and injuries.

Bac Can Province in the north and Dong Nai in the south were the only two provinces nation-wide to see an increase in traffic accidents.

Though the number of accidents declined in comparison to the figures from 2011, the seriousness of accidents has escalated.

The main causes responsible for traffic accidents in 2012 were drinking and driving and speeding.

Regarding the tasks ahead in 2013, Phuc called on drivers and road users to be good citizens and support the enforcement of traffic law and develop a community traffic culture.

"In 2013, we have a target of reducing the number of traffic accidents in big cities by 5-10 per cent," he announced.

He ordered the Ministry of Transport to co-operate closely with the Ministry of Education and Training to develop and implement a teaching and learning programme about traffic safety aimed at school children in time for the academic year 2014-2015.

He also instructed the Ministry of Health to work closely with the Ministry of Public Security to compile an Inter-ministerial Circular enabling frequent checks of drivers' blood alcohol level.

Source: VNS