Traffic accident fatalities drop during four-day holiday

Hanoi (VNA) – The numbers of traffic accidents and fatalities during the four-day holiday from April 28-May 1 decreased remarkably from the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

The ministry’s office reported that 79 were killed and another 79 injured in 113 traffic accidents nationwide in the period, year-on-year decreases of 19 deaths (19.4 percent), and 12 accidents (9.6 percent).

Most of the accidents occurred on the nation’s roads (112 cases with 78 deaths), with only one accident and one death related to the railway.

May 1 alone saw 37 accidents, killing 27 and injuring 33.

Khuat Viet Hung, Vice Chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee, noted that the reduction is remarkable in the context of surging traffic.

The committee said the main reason for the accidents was drunk driving, speeding and driving without helmets or in the wrong lane. The majority of those who died were motorbike drivers.

The committee also noted serious congestion on a number of national highways and particularly the gateways to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on the first and last days of the holiday as city folks left and returned to the cities.

It received more than 140 phone calls and messages from citizens to complain mostly about overcrowded and overpriced coaches running from Hanoi to other provinces like Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, and Yen Bai and vice versa.

The traffic police forces nationwide reported to have dealt with 25,904 traffic law violations during the holiday, levied fines of up to 13.9 billion VND (619,500 USD) and revoked 872 driving licences.-VNA