HÀ NỘI – Reducing traffic congestion and curbing traffic accidents arising from high-risk behaviors will be a priority this year, traffic authorities said on Wednesday.

Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hoà Bình, Chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC), also issued several directives at the launching ceremony of the Year of Traffic Safety held in Hà Nội.

He said that in the 2011-2016 period, the number of traffic accidents, deaths and injured had reduced significantly. Traffic congestion problems in the two largest cities of Hà Nội and HCM City have seen gradual, but welcome improvement.

The Deputy PM attributed these positive changes to leadership of the Party and concerted efforts by the whole political system.

He also mentioned traffic challenges that management agencies will face this year. With the continuation of strong economic growth and deeper international integration, the number of vehicles on the road will increase, as will the diversity of “traffic participants,” he said.

It is to tackle these challenges that the NTSC has devised the Traffic Safety Year 2017 campaign and themed it “Building traffic culture in children” in the spirit of putting “Human Life First.” The campaign aims at a 5 to 10 per cent year-on-year reduction in the number of traffic accidents.

This year’s overarching directive for traffic authorities’ activities would be “frequent, timely, practical, and conclusive.”

There will be intensified focus on reducing traffic congestion, especially in Hà Nội and HCM City and key traffic routes, given the need for ensuring traffic safety as APEC Việt Nam 2017 and other important political and social events are held.

Improving State management of traffic safety, especially in transport management, training and testing for driving licences, ensuring safety of traffic infrastructure, handling of persistent traffic ‘black spots’ on national and provincial highways, as well as at waterway and railway level-crossings will be other areas receiving due attention.

Police and other relevant agencies should step up inspection and control efforts, the Deputy PM said. All violations, especially high-risk behaviors like driving under the influence, speeding, overloaded carriages, and coaches’ embarkment and disembarkment of passengers on highways, must be dealt with strictly and in line with existing regulations, he said.

Public awareness campaigns must be amplified, both in terms of coverage and in terms of content and effectiveness, to make sure traffic safety information reaches all people, especially children, the youth, ethnic minority groups, and people in remote areas.

The Deputy PM also asked the Hà Nội People’s Committee to accelerate key transport infrastructure projects, including elevated railways and subways, deepen hi-tech integration in traffic management, and make public transportation more popular than private transportation.

Attending Wednesday’s ceremony were Minister of Transport Trương Quang Nghĩa, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National Traffic Safety Committee and Chairman of Hà Nội People’s Committee, Nguyễn Đức Chung. – VNS