Traffic accidents in Nghe An have not decreased as expected.

On the afternoon of July 2, the Provincial People's Council's Legal Committee held a meeting to review a number of reports submitted to the 15th session of the 17th Provincial People's Council, term 2016 - 2021. Comrade Phan Duc Dong - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Head of the Provincial People's Council's Legal Committee, Secretary of Vinh City Party Committee chaired the meeting. Attending the meeting were Comrade Cao Thi Hien - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Council. Photo: Mai Hoa

The rate of reduction in traffic accident criteria is still low.

Reviewing the report on the situation and results of ensuring traffic order and safety in the first 6 months of the year, and the key tasks for the last 6 months of 2020, in addition to basically agreeing with the draft report presented by the Provincial Traffic Safety Committee, members of the Legal Committee also raised many concerns related to the traffic accident situation in the province in the first 6 months of 2020.

Deputy Head of the Provincial People's Council's Legal Department, Thai Thi An Chung, said that according to the report, in the first 6 months of the year, there were 96 traffic accidents in the province, killing 69 people and injuring 61 people. Compared to the same period in 2019, the number of traffic accidents decreased by only 5.88%; the number of deaths and injuries decreased by 8.95%.

Thus, the reduction of traffic accidents in the province in the first 6 months of the year has not reached the target of reducing traffic accidents set by the National Traffic Safety Committee from 5% to 10% in the number of deaths.

On the other hand, the reduction in traffic accidents in the area compared to the national average is still low (the whole country reduced traffic accidents by 20% compared to the same period in 2019). Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the causes in order to propose positive solutions and measures for the last 6 months of 2020.

Deputy Head of the Legal Committee of the Provincial People's Council Thai Thi An Chung raised concerns about the reduction of traffic accidents in the province being lower than the national average. Photo: Mai Hoa

In addition, some delegates also raised concerns that in the first 6 months of the year, along with the implementation of Decree 100/2019/ND-CP of the Government and the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic on the implementation of the social distancing policy, traffic accidents in the province have not decreased significantly; the number of traffic accidents has increased sharply on some routes such as National Highway 1A, National Highway 7A, National Highway 48.

Some delegates were also concerned about the effectiveness of installing cameras to impose "cold" fines and installing dash cams to monitor vehicles participating in traffic...

Need to clarify the cause and find effective solutions

Explaining this issue, Deputy Director of the Department of Transport Nguyen Duc An shared that Nghe An is a province with a large and complex traffic system, with about 2,000 km of national highways, accounting for nearly 10% of national highways nationwide and nearly 2,000 km of provincial roads, along with a large number of district and inter-commune roads. And through the assessment of the traffic accident situation in the first 6 months of the year nationwide, Nghe An ranked 28th out of 63 provinces and cities nationwide in terms of traffic accidents.

Deputy Director of the Department of Transport Nguyen Duc An clarified many issues raised by the Legal Committee of the Provincial People's Council. Photo: Mai Hoa

Regarding the reason why traffic accidents did not decrease as expected, the Deputy Director of the Department of Transport said that during the 2 months of social distancing and isolation due to the Covid-19 pandemic, although passenger cars stopped operating, freight vehicles still operated.

On the other hand, the subjective psychology of traffic participants when there is no functional force to control and handle, so they speed, overtake recklessly, and drink alcohol while participating in traffic. Therefore, traffic accidents occurring in the area are basically serious accidents.

Tan Ky District Police check the alcohol concentration of traffic participants. Photo: Mai Hoa

Concluding this content, in addition to appreciating the efforts of all levels and sectors in implementing solutions and measures to curb traffic accidents in the province in the first 6 months of 2020, Head of the Legal Committee of the Provincial People's Council Phan Duc Dong also requested the Traffic Safety Committee to continue to advise the Provincial People's Committee to implement more drastic measures to overcome the causes and curb traffic accidents on roads, railways, and waterways.

Along with that, it is necessary to strengthen the propaganda of Decree 100/2019/ND-CP, associated with handling violations of speed, alcohol concentration, drug use... Pay attention to directing traffic inspection forces to inspect and handle violations of road traffic infrastructure safety according to their authority.

Head of the Provincial People's Council's Legal Committee Phan Duc Dong spoke at the inspection. Photo: Mai Hoa

Also this afternoon, the Legal Committee of the Provincial People's Council also reviewed the report on the situation and results of crime prevention and control and law violations in the first 6 months of the year, key tasks for the last 6 months of 2020; reviewed the draft resolution on a number of policies to support the fight against drug crimes in the province.

Plum Blossom