Roads safer during 2007 new year

The number of traffic accidents nationwide during the 2007 New Year holiday was down from last year – 208, compared to 301 in 2006 – according to the Traffic Police Department.

The Deputy Head of the Office of the department, Captain Bounthan Fangthavong, said 17 people had been killed on the roads, down from 32 last year. The number of injuries also decreased to 253, from 359 last year. Vientiane continued to have the highest number of accidents, 72, followed by Savannakhet province, with 24. Other provinces had fewer than 20 accidents.

There were four fatalities in Champassak and Vientiane provinces, but in Vientiane city there were only two deaths, the same number as in Attapeu province.

In the 2006 New Year period, there had been 82 accidents, 175 injured people, and three fatalities in Vientiane alone.

“The reduction in this year's accident rate is because the police force in all provinces has been inspecting all major routes, checking speeding, drink driving and the wearing of helmets. So this year, the accidents have mostly occurred on urban roads,” Captain Bounthan said.

The police worked 24 hours throughout the weekend, he added.

The cause of accidents was mainly drivers drinking and not obeying traffic regulations, he said.

The Director General of Traffic Police Department of Public Security Ministry, Colonel Thongsavanh Vongsavath, agreed that this New Year was relatively safe on the roads.

“This is because we had inspected vehicles and produced posters in a road-safety campaign. We were stationed along such main roads as No 13, to the north and south. We focused on checking public transport vehicles because they carry many passengers. If they have an accident, we can expect many victims,” he said.

He said Vientiane police also extended its force to inspect main roads in the city and its outskirts

He added that many Vientiane residents didn't stick to tradition in splashing water, instead throwing water-filled plastic bags from pick-up trucks, which caused problems. Some people had been injured and the mirrors of 13 vehicles had been broken.

“Now we can see plastic bags along the roads in Vientiane . To avoid this, next year we will have better plans to stop pick-ups carrying tanks and using plastic bags. We will raise awareness directly in the villages to better understand the good traditions of our country,” he said.

Road accidents cause damage to property, as well as serious injuries and fatalities. They also affect the country's socio-economic development, with around 470 billion kip in losses each year, according to a report from the Traffic Police Department.

The chief of the Emergency Department of Mahosot Hospital, Dr Bouason Bounta, reported the hospital had treated 163 patients, including 19 seriously injured in road accidents, during the New Year period from April 12 to 17.

“Most patients from road accidents are young people, between 17 and 26. The major cause of accidents is drinking,” he said.

By Panyasith Thammavongsa
(Latest Update April 19, 2007)