A policeman stops a truck for driving in the wrong lane in Thanh Hoa Province. —VNA/VNS Photo Doan Tan Traffic deaths on land, rail and water in the first four months of this year decreased by 30 per cent against the same period last year, the National Committee for Traffic Safety announced yesterday.

Nearly 3,700 traffic accidents were reported in the period, with more than 3,100 deaths (or 26 deaths a day) and 2,700 injured.

The number of the accidents was down by more than 900 compared to last year, said the committee.

Road accidents claimed the highest toll – about 3,000 deaths – followed by rail accidents 79 and waterways 51.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who is also chairman of the committee, praised the efforts of relevant ministries and local governments to improve traffic management and reduce traffic jams, particularly in Ha Noi and HCM City.

Phuc also spoke highly of new traffic safety initiatives by local authorities, including in the northern province of Quang Ninh and the southern province of Long An.

"However traffic safety is still a big problem and many serious accidents still happen, particularly on national roads such as National Road 1A," said Phuc.

He added that drink-driving, overloaded buses and motorists without helmets were still common.

Phuc asked ministries and local governments to step up information campaigns on traffic safety, improve traffic planning, invest more in parking lots and pavements and enhance public transport.

Police needed to increase patrols and catch and punish violators, he said.

Source: VNS