In Small vehicles in big cities are not the problem, according to statistics ![]() Some people are of the opinion that motorbikes need to be banned in It is true that motorbikes have some bad consequences. However, it is baseless to say that motorbikes, which are currently an effective means of transport for most of Vietnamese citizens, are the main cause of disastrous traffic accidents in According to official figures released by Vietnamese agencies, nearly 12,000 people are killed by road accidents annually. But, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that nearly 22,000 die a year, including those who succumb at hospital but are not included in the official statistics. The figures mislead us into believing that motorbikes are the cause of traffic accidents in It is, however, a much different story, if we put The WHO’s 2013 report on road safety showed no relation between road fatality rates (fatalities per 100,000 population) and means of transport. Among 50 countries with the world’s highest rates ( In the Southeast Asian region, On the other hand, That’s to say there is no particular evidence that motorbikes cause a high rate of traffic accidents. Serious accidents rarely happen in cities where motorbikes are used the most. This is also where public transport can replace them. In fact, disastrous accidents often happen on roads where motorbikes circulate together with other motor vehicles at high speeds like beltways, national roads, and roads connecting provinces. Collisions between motorbikes and other vehicles account for a very high rate of accidents in these areas. But, it is difficult to organize public transport in those places due to low traffic circulation. Therefore, if we ban motorbikes in places where most of accidents happen, people will have no alternative means. But, if we ban them in cities, the ban will not effectively reduce road accidents. It is a worrying trend in Without reasonable solutions, more roads will mean more accidents. To reduce accidents, we need to build lanes specific for four-wheeled vehicles and others for tri-cycled and two-wheeled ones. But, it is necessary to divide street areas reasonably for each vehicle. Otherwise, it will be like the case of The quality of helmets is also a problem in According to the WHO, quality helmets and proper wearing can help reduce deaths by 40 percent and other serious road injuries by 70 percent. With In short, to say that motorbikes cause serious accidents in By Huynh The Du* * The writer is conducting a postdoctoral research about urban economics and public policies at |
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