A traffic accident occured in Hà Nội last weekend. A total of 83 traffic accidents have been reported nation-wide during the three-day holiday in commemoration of the Hùng kings, killing 63 people and injuring another 56. — Photo dantri.com.vn

HÀ NỘI – A total of 83 traffic accidents have been reported nation-wide during the three-day holiday in commemoration of the Hùng kings, killing 63 people and injuring another 56, according to the National Traffic Safety Committee.

Traffic accidents between April 16-18 involving roadways accounted for 81 accidents, causing 62 deaths and 55 injuries. Another two accidents causing one death and one injury occurred on rail and other traffic routes.

Of note, yesterday alone witnessed 33 traffic accidents, claiming the life of 23 people and injuring 24.

Early yesterday, a five-seat taxi of the Tam Gia firm registered under the plate number 12A-034.93 was found lying upside down in a pond on Đinh Lễ Street, Lạng Sơn City in the northern province of Lạng Sơn.

All four people in the car were found dead. Initial investigations indicate that the car was driving on a curved section of Đinh Lễ Street on Sunday night when the driver lost control due to speeding.

Another accident yesterday morning on National Highway 1A running through Ninh Thuận Province’s Thuận Nam District killed a motorist when he carelessly crossed the road and was run over by a truck.

The motorbike rider Nguyễn Đức Hòa, a resident of Thuận Nam District, was killed instantly, but luckily his companion Nguyễn Thái Nguyên, also living in the district, survived with only light injuries.

Yesterday afternoon, a taxi carrying three passengers crashed into a bridge edge on Hồ Thị Hương Road, in the southern Đồng Nai Province’s Long Khánh Township. The incident killed one passenger and seriously injured another two and the driver.

In regard to handling traffic safety violations during the holiday, statistics from the committee show that traffic police dealt with nearly 3,000 violations, handing out total fines of up to VNĐ582.8 million (US$38,000) and temporarily holding 23 automobiles and 324 motorbikes.

On expressways, traffic police dealt with 146 violations, revoking 16 driving licences and temporarily holding 14 vehicles, gathering fines worth VNĐ118 million (US$5,300) for the State treasury. Violations involving waterway traffic amounted to 463 cases with total fines worth VNĐ146.8 million (US$6,500).

A quick report by the Hà Nội Police’s traffic police force (PC67) indicated that in Hà Nội alone there were three accidents, killing three people during the holiday.

Analyses of traffic violations show that vehicles parking and stopping illegally made up most of the cases, followed by vehicles driving in banned areas, going the wrong way, traveling in the wrong lanes and speeding through traffic lights. — VNS