Traffic deaths totalled less than 9,000 in 2014 with a concurrent decline in the number of reported crashes, according to a recent National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC) report.

Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc made the details of the report public on May 20^th at the opening ceremony for the 9th plenary session of the 13th National Assembly (NA) in Hanoi.

“We made significant progress in reducing traffic accidents and fatalities in 2014 compared to the previous year,” Phuc said, noting especially high reductions during the Lunar New Year holiday.

Last year, the number of reported traffic accidents dropped 13.8% to 25,322 resulting in a contemporaneous decrease in traffic deaths of 4% to 8,996, while the number of serious injuries fell 17.2% to 24,417.

Phuc also revealed that in the four months leading up to May this year the number of people killed in traffic accidents dipped 4.6% compared to the corresponding period in 2014 with an accompanying decrease in accidents to 7,584 and injuries to 7,070.

Despite the progress made, using mobile phones to talk or text messages and driving under the influence of alcohol continue to be the major causes of accidents and we need to do more, said NA Committee for Economic Affairs Nguyen Van Giau.

Efforts involving legislation, enforcement and education are proving that it is possible to influence people not to drink and drive. However these programs must be continued because the problem is still far from being under control, Giau said./.

VNF/VOV