Traffic police stop a driver to check documents in Hòa Bình Province. — VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đạt

HÀ NỘI — A total of 1,436 people were killed by traffic accidents in the first quarter of this year in Việt Nam, according to the National Traffic Safety Committee on Thursday.

During the period, 2,346 traffic accidents occurred nationwide, leading to 1,578 injuries.

Compared to the same period last year, the number of accidents, deaths and injuries decreased 15.43 per cent, 15.23 per cent and 8.57 per cent respectively.

Among the accidents recorded, a total of 2,319 were road traffic accidents, which killed 1,417 people and injured 1,574.

Khuất Việt Hùng, Executive Vice Chairman of the Committee revealed the data at a conference to review the Q1 traffic situation. 

Causes of about 65.77 per cent of the road accidents in Q1 were identified, while the rest was still unknown.

Specifically, 14.71 per cent of the accidents occurred as drivers went in the wrong lane and road space; 7.71 per cent  was due to drivers’ change of direction without due attention; 0.26 per cent due to illegal parking; 2.16 per cent due to the use of alcohol and/or alcoholic stimulants; 2.11 per cent due to pedestrians crossing the road illegally.

About 1.72 per cent of the accidents in Q1 was caused by speed violations and 32.95 per cent was made due to other causes.

It is notable that in civil aviation activities, 100 mandatory safety reports were received in the first three months of this year. As many as 23 incidents posing a threat to safety occurred (two incidents at level C and the rest of 21 at level D), increasing 35.3 per cent year on year.  

Sharp decrease in accidents in most localities  

Statistics revealed that 42 provinces and cities have seen the drop in traffic accidents in the period. Among them, 14 localities with over 40 per cent reduction are Đà Nẵng, Đắk Nông, Long An, Cà Mau, Thừa Thiên Huế, Cần Thơ, Thái Nguyên, Quảng Ngãi, Phú Thọ, Tiền Giang, Điện Biên, Lào Cai, Bắc Giang and Lai Châu.

Notably, Đà Nẵng City, and Đắk Nông, Long An and Cà Mau had the number of deaths due to traffic accidents plunged by over 60 per cent.

However, 16 localities reported an increase in the number of fatalities, with Vĩnh Phúc, Quảng Nam, Kon Tum, Lạng Sơn and Sơn La reporting over 50 per cent rise of deaths in the period. —VNS