HCM CITY — The HCM City Traffic Safety Committee on January 3 kicked off the 2018 Traffic Safety Year Campaign with an aim to reduce the number of traffic incidents, deaths and injuries by 5 per cent compared to last year’s figures.

This year’s campaign themed “Traffic Safety for Children” targets reducing the number of traffic jams that last more than half an hour and controlling serious congestion on roads and intersections with high traffic flow, said Nguyễn Thành Phong, chairman of the city’s People’s Committee.

Order on pavements and roadways will be maintained to ensure smooth traffic flow, Phong said at the campaign’s opening ceremony.

Since the resolution issued in 2007 on urgent solutions to control traffic accidents and congestion, the number of traffic incidents as well as deaths and injuries from traffic accidents in the city has declined significantly.

Between 2007 and 2017, the number of traffic accidents fell by 47.9 per cent, or by 646 cases.

During the period, the number of deaths and injuries caused by traffic accidents fell by 432 people or 40.3 per cent, and by 601 people or 76.8 per cent, respectively.

However, the city’s rapid economic development has put pressure on urban order and traffic infrastructure, he said. There is still a high risk of an increase in the number of deaths from traffic accidents.

Phong called for better compliance among local residents with traffic regulations, traffic safety and urban order.

He also ordered State agencies and district-level traffic safety committees to fulfill this year’s plans.

After the ceremony, around 1,500 representatives of traffic safety committees from 24 districts and students paraded through the city in response to the campaign on the 2018 Traffic Safety Year. — VNS