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Every year, on the third Sunday of November, we commemorate the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims.
There is another day that too many people in Viet Nam and around the world remember.
It is the day that a traffic crash stopped or changed someone’s life forever.
Injury and death have a devastating social and economic impact on families, communities and countries.
It is all too common.
Tragically, every year around the world, approximately 1.2 million people die in a road traffic crash. That is more than 3,200 deaths every day, or about five deaths every minute.
Up to 50 million more people are injured – many of whom will have some form of disability afterwards, with implications for their quality of life and ability to earn an income.
In Viet Nam, 15,000 people were injured and 11,500 people were killed on the road last year. These are not just statistics, every one of those deaths is a father or mother, son or daughter, colleague, friend – and a family and community that will be profoundly affected by this loss for years to come.
The global community and Viet Nam have committed to concrete targets to address this horrific toll.
In 2021, the UN General Assembly adopted the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety, with the target to reduce deaths and injuries by at least 50% by 2030.
In Viet Nam, the National Strategy to Ensure Road Traffic Order and Safety for the same period, and the Vision to 2045, aim to reduce deaths and injuries from road traffic crashes by 5 to 10% annually.
Today, I congratulate Viet Nam for reducing road traffic deaths by more than 40% between 2010 and 2021- this represents very significant progress.
This year, we mark two milestones in Viet Nam that will make our roads safer, especially for the youngest members of society. In June, the National Assembly passed laws requiring children to be secured in child car seats – known as child restraint systems – and sit in the back seat. These laws will come into effect from the first of January 2026.
These law changes are an important vote for children’s safety on the roads.
They are one element in a multifaceted approach that includes:
strengthened legislation and enforcement
improved infrastructure
enhanced vehicle safety standards
road safety education and awareness
improved emergency response, and
community and stakeholder engagement to foster a culture of road safety.
Viet Nam can of course count on WHO’s continued support for work to improve road safety in this country.
With the focus and efforts of all of society, we can achieve Viet Nam’s ambitious road safety targets, and in doing so protect and save lives.
Xin cảm ơn!