The National Committee for Traffic Safety blamed the rise in traffic accidents in February partly on a surge of visitors to traditional festivals after the Lunar New Year holiday.

A train accident in Thua Thien-Hue province on February 20

The committee reported on February 27 that 1,763 traffic accidents were recorded in February, killing 826 people and injuring 1,482 others. The figures respectively increased by 3.6 percent, 11 percent and 25.8 percent from the previous month.

While visitors’ numbers to festival soared, traffic law violations were common, especially drink driving, speeding, and not wearing helmets, which increased the number of accidents, the committee said.

In the first two months of 2017, 1,570 people died and 2,660 others were injured in 3,465 traffic accidents nationwide, slightly declining from a year earlier.

Traffic police also collected 392.82 billion VND (17.2 million USD) in fines for traffic rule violations, temporarily seized 5,031 cars and 94,041 motorcycles, and revoked 58,268 driving licences in the two months. 

VNA