HANOI: Over 60 people died in traffic accidents across Vietnam from Sunday to Tuesday during the Lunar New Year festival, according to Vietnam’s National Traffic Safety Committee on Wednesday.
As many as 104 traffic accidents occurred across the country during the period, killing 64 people and injuring 98 others, the committee said on its website.
On Sunday alone, which was the Lunar New Year’s Eve, 23 people died and 30 other injured in 34 traffic accidents, which all happened on roadways.
On Monday, the first day of the Lunar New Year, 32 traffic accidents killed 21 people and injured 30 others. One of the accidents occurred in railway, injuring two.
According to the committee, 38 traffic accidents happened on Tuesday, claiming the lives of 20 people and injuring 38 others. Of the figures, one people was injured in a railway accident.
The committee said that the number of accidents and fatalities decreased compared to the same period in 2015 when 107 people were killed and 157 others injured in 182 traffic accidents.
Over speeding and drunk-driving are among the causes of traffic accidents during the festive period in Vietnam.
To ensure traffic safety during the remaining days of the Lunar New Year holiday, which lasts for nine days in Vietnam from last Saturday to the coming Sunday, the committee has asked traffic police forces to strengthen patrols, strictly punish those who violate traffic law, especially commit drunk driving, over speeding and those driving a motorcycle without wearing helmet.
