Drunk driving kills 4,000 in Vietnam every year
Traffic accidents kill thousands of people every year in Vietnam and more than 40% of road fatalities involve drinking and driving, official data have shown.
"Last year, more than 8,700 people were killed in traffic accidents nationwide and nearly 4,000 of them died in alcohol-related accidents," said Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh, chairman of the National Traffic Safety Committee.
Binh was speaking at a conference in Hanoi on September 7 to discuss measures to improve traffic safety, after a sudden surge in accidents last month.
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| A driver is tested for alcohol on a street in Ho Chi Minh City. |
In August, there were 1,760 traffic accidents nationwide, killing 705 people and injuring 1,495. The number of fatalities increased 7.8% from the same month last year.
“Traffic accidents have become more complicated with many serious cases, causing great human and property damage,” Binh said.
Major General Tran Son Ha, director of Traffic Police Department, said police have stepped up surveillance against drinking and driving nationwide.
In Vietnam, drunk driving can be fined for up to VND18 million (US$807) for car drivers and VND4 million for motorbike drivers.
