Ho Chi Minh City launched a 2024 speed campaign called ‘Let’s Drive Slow for Children’s Future’ on the sidelines of a ceremony in remembrance of those losing their lives to traffic crashes on Sunday morning.

The city expects the slow-driving campaign will help decrease traffic-related deaths and injuries.

More than 1,230 traffic accidents occurred in Ho Chi Minh City between January and October, killing 380 people and injuring 768 others, heard the event.

The event, held by the Ho Chi Minh City Traffic Safety Committee, was attended by deputy secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee Nguyen Ho Hai and many other officials.

This year is the 13th year that the city and other localities nationwide have organized a remembrance event for the victims of traffic accidents.

The remembrance ceremony was aimed at calling on residents to take action for a safe and civilized traffic environment and for those who are alive.

These numbers reveal the devastating impact of traffic accidents, leaving victims’ families and friends with lasting trauma and posing a significant challenge for authorities.

Nguyen Thanh Loi from the municipal Traffic Safety Committee explained that the event and campaign aim to highlight the seriousness of traffic accidents, raise public awareness about road safety, and urge strict adherence to traffic regulations.

Loi also stressed that the number of traffic crashes involving children aged from six to 18 remains high.

Specifically, the city had recorded 145 traffic accidents in the year to October, claiming the lives of 19 childrens and injuring 78 others.

Most of the young victims were found riding a motorcycle under the legal age, not wearing a helmet while riding, steering a motorcycle without a drivers’ license, speeding up, or carrying more people than allowed.  

In Vietnam, traffic accidents leave over 20 people dead and some 30 others wounded a day.

Between January and October, the nation reported over 19,510 traffic accidents, killing 8,990 people and injuring 14,505 others, according to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam.

The numbers of crashes and injuries rose 5.7 percent and 13.9 percent, respectively, year on year, while the deaths inched down 8.4 percent year on year, local media reported.

Statistics announced at some international conferences indicated that driving five percent above the speed limit increases the crash rate by 10 percent and the fatality rate by 20 percent.

Pedestrians have an up-to-80-percent risk of death if they are hit by a vehicle traveling at 50 kilometers per hour.

A pedestrian has a 90-percent chance of survival if struck by a vehicle traveling at 30kph or less.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam!