Traffic accidents claim 199 lives in Vietnam during 6 days of lunar New Year vacation

Traffic accidents claimed 199 lives and left 326 others injured during the first six days of the lunar New Year holiday from Feb. 15 to 20, according to Vietnam's National Traffic Safety Committee on Saturday.

Some 340 traffic accidents happened during the period, said the committee, adding that the country saw a decrease in number of accidents.

On Friday alone, there were 65 traffic accidents occurring on land roads nationwide, killing 35 people and injuring 89 others, the highest rate in number of accidents and fatalities during the period.

The accidents during the holiday were mainly caused by drunk driving, overloaded motorbike, and over-speeding among others, the committee said on its website on Saturday.

To ensure traffic safety during the remaining days of the lunar New Year holiday, which lasts for nine days in Vietnam from Feb. 15-23, the committee has asked traffic police forces to strengthen patrols, strictly punish those violating traffic law, especially drunk driving.

Vietnam often sees high demand of transportation during the peak time of traveling in the year, especially the lunar New Year festival.

In 2014, nearly 300 people died in traffic accidents in Vietnam during the 9-day lunar New Year holiday. Enditem