A traffic jam at the Đồng Tâm Crossroads in Tiền Giang Province on January 28 as people flock from western provinces to HCM City. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Trí

HÀ NỘI — A total of 133 people were killed and 174 injured in traffic accidents during the Tết (Lunar New Year) holidays between January 24 and 29.

In total, there were 198 accidents, a decrease of 10.8 per cent compared to the same period last year, while the number of deaths and injured people fell by 5 and 17.9 per cent, respectively.

The figures were revealed by Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyễn Quang Nhật, head of the Ministry of Public Security’s Traffic Police Department on Wednesday.

Nine localities that led the countries with the highest decrease of deaths include the northern province of Bắc Giang, the central provinces of Thừa Thiên-Huế and Nghệ An, and the southern provinces of Sóc Trăng, Kiên Giang, Bình Định, Bình Thuận, Trà Vinh, Cà Mau.

Also during the holidays, traffic police dealt with 3,194 violations relating to drink driving throughout the country, Nhật said.

Traffic accidents mainly occurred on the road, with only one accident reported on waterways, causing one death. There were no reports of rail accidents.

Traffic jams occurred on many intersections and sections of National Highway 1A yesterday as people returned to HCM City and eastern provinces from the Mekong Delta region after the holiday. Most offices and businesses reopen today.

On Tuesday afternoon, traffic was stalled at Đồng Tâm Crossroads, Rượu, Sao and Mỹ Quí bridges, and the Thân Cửu Nghĩa Crossroads leading to HCM City-Trung Lương Expressway.

The congestion caused traffic to slow for stretches from three to four kilometres on the highway at Rượu Bridge and Đồng Tâm Crossroads.

Tiền Giang Province’s Traffic Safety Committee assigned hundreds of officers to patrol and crack down on violations as well as regulate traffic.

During the holiday, the committee detected 85 violations and collected fines of more than VNĐ43 million (US$1,850), and seized 36 vehicles as well as 21 driving licences and vehicle registration papers. Of the figure, there were 25 cases related to drink driving, and 12 cases of people not wearing helmets.

Serious traffic congestion was reported on a section of Pháp Vân-Cầu Giẽ Expressway heading to the centre of Hà Nội on Tuesday afternoon, Nhật said.

“The Traffic Police Department had dispatched a team to direct vehicles to go to intersections of Thường Tín and Vạn Điểm to reduce jams,” he said.

To minimise traffic accidents and ensure traffic safety at the end of the holiday, Deputy Prime Minister and chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee Trương Hòa Bình on Monday ordered ministries, People’s Committees, and police forces across the country to increase patrols and impose strict fines on violations.

He ordered traffic police to patrol major routes, especially national highways and expressways, to deal with drink driving, driving in the wrong lane, driving without helmets and carrying more people than permitted.

He asked agencies to continue raising people’s awareness on the new drink driving regulations.

The Ministry of Public Security also ordered the heads of police departments in provinces and cities to take drastic measures to prevent traffic congestion and accidents after the holiday.

Traffic police were told to focus on preventing congestion at toll booths and gateways to major cities including Hà Nội and HCM City. — VNS