(VOVWORLD) - A national ceremony was held in the northern province of Hoa Binh on Sunday to remember of victims of traffic accidents in response to World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, November 19.
 Deputy PM Tran Luu Quang (first row, third from left), Transport Minister Nguyen Van Thang (first row, second from left) and other participants at the remembrance ceremony for road traffic victims, November 19, 2023. (Photo: VNA) |
In his address, Transport Minister Nguyen Van Thang extended condolences to families of traffic accident victims in Vietnam, saying that losses caused by traffic accidents are irreparable.
“Every day, many people leave their homes but some never return or if they return, they suffer lifelong disabilities. Many families also live their hard life because of traffic accidents,” he said.
“I call on authorities at all levels to take stronger measures to improve state management on traffic order and safety in order to ensure the safety, health, and peaceful life of the people. I also call on everyone to comply traffic laws and join hands to build a safe, civilized and compassionate traffic environment.”
Minister Thang cited a report by the National Traffic Safety Committee that more than 9,800 road accidents in the first 10 months of this year killed nearly 5,500 people and injured nearly 7,000 others.
Elsewhere in the world, on average, a person dies in a road traffic accident every 24 seconds. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that road traffic accidents cost most countries about 3% of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP) each year.