Deputy minister of transport Lê Đình Thọ. — VNA/VNS Photo

Deputy minister of transport Lê Đình Thọ talks to Quân đội nhân dân (People’s Army) online newspaper about measures to ensure traffic safety and order

Traffic safety over the past five years has improved according to a recent assessment by the National Steering Committee for Traffic Safety. What are the key results?

Over the past five years, although population, vehicles and travel demands have increased rapidly, traffic accidents have dropped dramatically in all three criteria, cases, the number of deaths and injuries.  

From 2016 to the end of 2020, the whole country recorded more than 94,000 traffic accidents, killing more than 39,900 people and injuring 77,400 others, dropping by 42.7 per cent, 19 per cent and 54 per cent in comparison with the figures of the 2011-15 period, respectively.

Last year saw the strongest reduction in all three criteria over the past decade and for the first time, the number of fatalities caused by traffic accidents dropped to below 7,000 people per year.

What have you done to help reduce traffic accidents?

Resolute management, close guidance and determination of the Party and State to the task of ensuring traffic safety and order with the issuance of many documents requiring localities and ministries to resolutely carry out solutions on traffic safety and order. In 2019, the National Assembly issued the Law on Alcohol Harm Prevention and right after that the Government issued the Decree 100 on administrative sanctions for road traffic and rail transport violations with a sharp increase in fines for violations at high risk of causing traffic accidents. These efforts have created a positive change in public awareness of abiding by traffic regulations.

Information dissemination and education activities have also been strengthened by localities, ministries and sectors with many initiatives to raise public awareness about traffic safety.

The ministries of public security and transport and localities have paid great attention to inspection, supervision and handling of traffic safety violations.

The Government has directed the Ministry of Transport and relevant ministries, agencies and localities to give priority to construction of transport infrastructure and resolutely handle “hot” spots of traffic accidents.  

The transport ministry has also guided relevant agencies to increase the application of information technology in transport management activities, and continue tightening transport business conditions for coaches and heavy trucks to ensure traffic safety. Vehicle registration and driving licence training and grants have also been tightened to ensure quality and prevent shortcomings.

In order to continue reducing traffic accidents, what will the transport sector do in the future?

Although we have made much progress, deputy Prime Minister Trương Hòa Bình has required increasing tasks to ensure traffic safety and order in the future as traffic accidents and congestion still happen which require great efforts of all ministries, sectors and localities.

The transport ministry will focus on consulting, recommending and coordinating in effectively implementing tasks assigned in the 2021 National Traffic Safety Year with the theme of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of the enforcement of traffic safety and order.

Focus will be put on continuing to complete related legal documents; implementing the master plan on building the national strategy on traffic safety and order until 2030 towards the application of achievements of the Fourth Industrial Revolution; resolutely implementing measures and tasks to ensure traffic safety and order and prevent traffic congestion during the 2019-21 period following the Government Resolution issued in 2019; tackling difficulties to help speed up key transport projects; and continue reviewing and dealing with “hot spots” of traffic accidents. —  VNS