Vietnam’s southern hub of Ho Chi Minh City now has 10 accident-prone hot spots, including eight that appeared last year, the city Police Department has warned, asking for efforts to eliminate these dangerous sites as soon as possible.

>> Nearly 800 killed in road accidents in Vietnam in February Senior Lieutenant Colonel Vu Nhu Ha, at the city Police Department, made the warning at a meeting with the city’s Legislation Board under the city People’s Council on Friday. As of December 2014, 27 out of the 29 hotspots (including 28 on roads and the other on a waterway) that had previously been identified had been eliminated, Ha said. However, along with the elimination, eight other locations became vulnerable to traffic accidents, he added. Therefore, the city currently has a total of 10 accident-prone hot spots, including nine on roads and one on a waterway, the official confirmed. The city Police Department has directed traffic police units to set up a plan of action to eliminate such hot spots as soon as they can. One of the most important duties is that traffic police must tighten patrols and inspections in the areas under their jurisdiction to detect and remove the causes that have contributed to increased accidents. In 2014, 4,321 road traffic accident occurred in the city, killing 723 people and injured 4,028 others. Compared to 2013, the number of road accidents dropped by 766, while the resulting numbers of dead and injured people also decreased by 41 and 599 respectively. Last year also saw two railway accidents occur, seven less than in 2013, while inland waterway and maritime accidents numbered 10 in total, without any casualties reported. Last year, city police coordinated with the Transport Department to encourage 16,968 businesses engaged in transport and warehouse services to make a commitment to comply with regulations on traffic safety and vehicle load capacities. They also warned traders not to occupy roadways and roadsides to contribute to preventing traffic accidents and reducing the traffic death toll. The police also set up teams to check breath alcohol concentrations of drivers to detect and punish drunk drivers.

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