Reducing traffic accidents starts with building traffic culture.

On the afternoon of May 24, the Legal Committee of the Provincial People's Council had a meeting with the Provincial Police on handling traffic accidents and administrative violations in the field of traffic in the province.Comrade Cao Thi Hien - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council attended the meeting.

Working scene. Photo: Minh Chi

Traffic accidents decreased in all 3 criteria

According to the report of the Provincial Police, from 2017 to March 15, 2019, the whole province had 674 road and railway traffic accidents (no waterway accidents); killing 436 people and injuring 497 people. The traffic accident situation in the area has decreased in all 3 criteria, in terms of number of cases, number of deaths and number of injuries.

However, the number of serious, very serious and especially serious traffic accidents is still high, accounting for 57.71% of the total number of traffic accidents in the area; of which there are 349 serious cases; 30 very serious cases; 10 especially serious cases.

The main reason is that people's awareness of traffic rules is still limited, such as speeding, violating road sections, directions, not obeying traffic signals, etc.

Tan Ky District Traffic Police force measures alcohol concentration of traffic participants. Photo: Minh Chi

Of the total 674 traffic accidents, the provincial police investigated, handled and decided to prosecute 181 cases, 181 defendants; decided not to prosecute 139 cases; administratively handled 310 cases, 311 subjects; transferred 9 cases to the military investigation agency and are investigating 35 cases.

In addition to investigating and handling traffic accidents in accordance with the law, Nghe An Police have also strengthened leadership and direction of the Traffic Police force to increase traffic regulation activities, ensure traffic safety and order in the area; increase patrols and controls, focusing on propaganda, reminders, and guidance for people to comply with the law in conjunction with handling administrative violations in the field of traffic.

From 2017 to the end of the first quarter of 2019, the authorities detected and recorded administrative violations in 262,270 cases, of which 258,130 administrative penalty decisions were enforced, with a total fine of nearly 190 billion VND.

Colonel Nguyen Duc Hai - Deputy Director of the Provincial Police Department said that to reduce traffic accidents, it is important to change people's traffic culture. Photo: Minh Chi

To reduce traffic accidents and violations of traffic safety order, Colonel Nguyen Duc Hai - Deputy Director of the Provincial Police Department said that it is important to change the traffic culture of the people, starting with children in the age of forming human personality and awareness.

To do this, the entire political system, not just the police force, needs to participate to raise awareness of law enforcement and traffic culture among all classes of people.

More drastic and synchronous solutions are needed.

According to the report of the Provincial Police, in addition to the system of major traffic routes, the national highway alone has 16 routes with more than 1,760 km, Nghe An is also a locality with a rapidly increasing number of newly registered motor vehicles; many roads are degraded or damaged after a short period of maintenance; people's awareness of complying with traffic safety laws is not good... These are issues that directly affect traffic safety work in the province.

Agreeing with the issues raised by the Provincial Police, the monitoring team also pointed out the common reality of speeding, reckless driving, drinking alcohol, and even drugs... when participating in traffic. There is also the situation of oversized, overloaded vehicles, illegal vehicles; drying and selling agricultural products on the roadside, sidewalks of some roads..., posing a great risk of traffic accidents.

Some members of the monitoring team also raised the issue of the responsibility of the authorities in some localities in ensuring traffic safety and order in the area is not high, mainly leaving it to the police force.

Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council Cao Thi Hien suggested that the Provincial Police should proactively advise and have more drastic solutions in the field of ensuring traffic safety and order in the province. Photo: Minh Chi

Speaking at the meeting, Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Council Cao Thi Hien highly appreciated the efforts and determination of the Provincial Police force in ensuring traffic safety in the province in recent times.

Based on the synthesis of voters' feedback, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council also expressed concern about the situation of oversized and overloaded vehicles circulating on some roads that have not been thoroughly handled, posing a potential risk of traffic accidents; therefore, he requested the Provincial Police to take more drastic action on this issue.

Regarding the use of alcohol, beer, and addictive substances causing catastrophic accidents in recent times in a number of localities across the country, the Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council also hopes that the Provincial Police need to proactively research solutions to control them; strengthen coordination with all levels and sectors to promote propaganda work, create a change in people's awareness and traffic culture as well as handle administrative violations in accordance with regulations and deterrence of the law...