A car damaged in an accident on the La Sơn–Hòa Liên road in Hải Vân Ward, Đà Nẵng City. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — A total of 196 traffic accidents were reported across the country during the four-day New Year holiday (January 1-4), leaving 94 people dead and 154 injured, according to the Traffic Police Department of the Ministry of Public Security.

Compared with the same period in 2025, both the number of crashes and fatalities fell, down 18.67 per cent and 31.88 per cent respectively, but the number of injuries rose by 12.41 per cent.

All accidents occurred on roads, with none recorded on railways or waterways, a contrast to the three railway accidents that killed two people during the New Year holiday in 2025.

HCM City recorded the highest number of accidents with 34 cases, followed by Đồng Nai Province with 15, Hà Nội with 13, and Phú Thọ Province with 12. The largest numbers of fatalities were also reported in the three localities HCM City, Đồng Nai, and Hà Nội.

Police identified the causes of more than 80 per cent of the accidents, with inattention and failure to slow down the most common factors, followed by wrong-lane or wrong-direction driving, improper turning and overtaking, speeding, and failure to keep a safe distance. Alcohol use, driver fatigue, mobile phone use and vehicle faults were also cited.

During the holiday, traffic police nationwide handled 47,080 violations, imposing fines totalling nearly VNĐ137.5 billion (US$5.22 million), temporarily seizing thousands of vehicles and revoking or deducting points from more than 10,000 driving licences. Alcohol and speed violations made up the majority of cases.

Authorities said traffic flowed smoothly during the holiday, with no serious or prolonged congestion nationwide, while increased volumes at gateways in Hà Nội and HCM City caused only brief, localised delays thanks to proactive management. — VNS