Traffic accidents in Vietnam down by 17% Police are handling a traffic accident in Dong Nai Province on October 28, 2012. Photo: Tuoi Tre Last year saw the number of traffic accidents in Vietnam decrease by 17 percent from 2011, according to the National Committee for Traffic Safety. The figure was released at the online conference held yesterday by the committee to review the situation of traffic order and safety in 2012 and discuss tasks for 2013. More than 36,400 traffic accidents occurred last year nationwide, killing 9,884 people and injuring 38,064 others. Compared to 2011, the number of accidents, the death toll and the number of injured people is down by 7,400 cases (17 percent), 1,647 people (14 percent) and 9,527 people (over 20 percent) respectively. Four provinces leading the country in the drop in the number of traffic accidents, the death toll and the number of injured people last years are Vinh Phuc, Ha Tinh, Can Tho and Kien Giang.  Speaking at the event, Transport Minister Dinh La Thang said many provinces and cities have taken measures, including boosting the progress of traffic infrastructure projects, to reduce accidents.  For example, Hanoi has put five steel flyovers into operation, re-arranged parking lots on the street, streamlined the lanes of traffic, and re-scheduled the times for work and for school. The Hang Xanh flyover under construction in Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: Tuoi Tre) Congestion drops by 90% in HCMC In Ho Chi Minh City, the roadway area at the crossroads and other sites vulnerable to congestion has been enlarged by 17,000 square meters, and 46 locations on 21 streets have been re-arranged for better traffic, said the city Committee for Traffic Safety. Therefore the number of traffic jams in the city last year dropped by more than 90 percent from 2011, with only two traffic jams lasting for more than 20 minutes, the committee said. As for tasks for 2013, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, chairman of the committee, required that local authorities and relevant agencies strive to continue to improve traffic infrastructure and reduce the number of accidents, the death toll and the number of injured people by 5-10 percent from 2012.  “If we can reduce the death toll caused by traffic accidents by 2,000 victims per year, it will be a great happiness we offer to every family and everybody. This is also a significant revolutionary responsibility that should be taken seriously by authorities of all levels,” the deputy PM said. TuoitreNews