Việt Nam’s road accident-related deaths fall by 43.5 per cent in 2011-20

Traffic police officers check the alcohol levels of drivers in Hậu Giang Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Nguyễn Hằng

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam is among 45 out of 193 UN member countries whose deaths in road accidents decreased by over 30 per cent in the 2011-20 period, said Khuất Việt Hùng, Vice Chairman of the National Road Traffic Safety Committee.

The information was unveiled at the conference to launch the Global status report on road safety 2023 within the framework of the UN Road Safety Collaboration (UNRSC) Meeting, which took place at the UN headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on December 12 and 13.

The meeting highly appreciated the strong commitment, leadership and effective direction of the Party, the National Assembly, the Government and the Prime Minister of Việt Nam in ensuring traffic order and safety, and road traffic safety in particular, said Hùng, who attended the event.

After ten years of persistent efforts to implement solutions to respond to the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-20, Việt Nam’s road traffic death rate declined from 25.4 per 100,000 people in 2010 to 17.7 per 100,000 people in 2021, down 43.5 per cent, according to World Health Organisation (WHO).

Hùng attributed Việt Nam’s results in ensuring road safety in the reviewed period to the efforts of the entire political system under the leadership of the Party.

Regarding the country’s orientations for the 2021-30 period, he said that next year, Việt Nam would promulgate the Law on Road Traffic Order and Safety, which aims to perfect the system of regulations on traffic rules and regulations, vehicle technical safety, safety in transport activities as well as handling violations of traffic order and safety.

The new law will clearly define the functions and tasks of specialised agencies and stakeholders in state management, creating a solid and comprehensive legal foundation to implement policies and solutions effectively to ensure road traffic order and safety in the coming period.

Hùng also represented Việt Nam to attend the High-Level Consultative Committee (HLCC) for the 4th Global Ministerial Conference on Road Safety in Morocco from February 18-21, 2025 (GMCRS 2025).

After a day of discussion, the meeting agreed on the general agenda of GMCRS 2025, including a summary of the Decade of Action for Road Safety (2011-2020) and necessary actions of countries to achieve the goal of reducing road traffic accidents by 50 per cent by 2030.

The meeting affirmed that data from the WHO showed that motorcyclists and users of mopeds and electric scooters account for 21 per cent of the total number of road accident-related deaths, which is on the rise in some regions, especially Southeast Asia, South Asia, Africa and Latin America. Therefore, traffic safety for motorcyclists will be an essential topic to discuss at GMCRS 2025 to find solutions to minimise casualties worldwide.

The meeting proposed Vietnam research and coordination with the WHO to organise a symposium on traffic safety for motorbike riders to prepare the contents, especially those relating to experiences on improving traffic safety for motorcyclists, which are expected to be presented at GMCRS 2025. — VNS