Road traffic accidents cost an estimated VND50trn (USD2.1bn) in damage annually, according to Vice Chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee Khuat Viet Hung on September 27.

Vietnam seeks ways to reduce road accidents

The problem was discussed at the signing ceremony between the National Traffic Safety Committee and Vietnam Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (VAMM) on cooperation and publication of 2017 research results. A road safety film contest was also announced on the same day.

Statistics from the World Health Organisation show that over 1.2 million people die and 50 million people are injured in traffic accidents each year across the globe. The damage caused by traffic accidents cost most countries nearly 3% of GDP. Without stronger measures, fatalities could reach 1.9 million in 2020.

According to Hung, both the numbers of fatalities and injured people have decreased year-on-year but they are still too high. "Since early September, there were 13,242 accidents, 70 percent caused by motorbike drivers and 90 percent of the dead and injured people were also motorbike drivers," Hung said.

He went on to say that motorbike is the most suitable means of transport for Vietnam's infrastructure but the public's awareness of traffic safety is very low.

This is the fourth year the National Traffic Safety Committee and VAMM have co-operated to raise public awareness about traffic accidents in Vietnam. The research results funded by VAMM have helped the authorities develop policies to reduce traffic accidents.

At the ceremony, Kawano Toshiya, VAMM's chairman, said their goals were not only to produce quality and environmentally-friendly vehicles but to also develop a traffic-safety conscious public.

VAMM has held filmmaking contest about traffic safety, given away helmets, and driver training programmes.

vna, dtinews