HCM City seeks ways to reduce traffic accidents by 10 percent

Ho Chi Minh City hopes to reduce traffic accidents, fatalities and injuries by 5-10 percent this year, said Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Phong on January 8.

At the ceremony to launch the Traffic Safety Year 2021 event in tandem with COVID-19 prevention during Lunar New Year and Spring Festival, Phong, who is also head of the city’s Traffic Safety Board called on local residents to follow traffic rules with a view to ensuring traffic safety.

Last year, the number of traffic accidents fell 13.8 percent year-on-year, meanwhile those of fatalities and injuries dropped 12 percent and 15.2 percent, respectively. However, the local traffic situation remained complicated, which means the city is in need of synchronous and drastic measures.

Phong said the city will continue efforts to ensure effective management and order on roadways and pavements, while enhancing the communication work to raise public awareness of traffic safety.

Besides, scientific and technological advances will be applied to ensure traffic safety, particularly application of artificial intelligence (AI) into traffic management, operation, supervision and settlement of traffic violations.

The city is striving to complete the second phase of the urban transport operation management centre in 2025.