Viet Nam
The Socialist Republic of Viet Nam is a densely-populated, developing country occupying 331,114 sq km and bordering China to the north, Laos to the west and Cambodia to the south-west. Its capital, Hanoi, lies on the Red River. Viet Nam contains 59 provinces and 5 municipalities.
Vietnam has had one of the fastest growing economies in the world in recent years, and poverty has declined rapidly. Throughout 2003 more than 30,000 private enterprises applied for business registration, reflecting the growing role of the private sector in domestic investment. Despite recent gains, an estimated 24 percent of the population lived below the poverty line in 2004. Furthermore, a large proportion of the population lives just above the poverty line and is vulnerable to falling into poverty with even minor changes in economic circumstances. Average annual income is $2,700 (2004 est.).
Viet Nam is a member of the UN, ASEAN, ARF, ASEM, APEC and the Non-Aligned Movement. It is currently seeking accession to the WTO.
Related project summary: Helmets programme, Cambodia
Road Safety in Viet NamProjects |
Facts
Roads
Viet Nam has a road network of approximately: 93,300 km of which 23,418 km are paved and 69,882 km are unpaved (1999 est.)
Vehicle fleet
Economic growth is being accompanied by rapid traffic growth. Since 1990, the number of automobiles has increased two-and-a-half times and the number of motorcycles has increased eight-and-a-half times. Over 90%of the 11-12 million motorised vehicles in Vietnam are motorcycles and some 70% of reported crashes involve motorcycles. This means rapidly increasing strains on the infrastructure, the environment and the road users, with a growing toll of road crashes. Yet in comparison to those of other Asian countries, motorisation levels in Viet Nam are still low, indicating that vehicle ownership will continue to increase with economic growth for many more years.
Road safety situation
As with many other low-income countries, Vietnam is coping with growing motorisation rates and an increasing number of road crashes. An estimated 95% of all vehicles on the roads are two wheelers and these contribute to 90% of all road crashes.
A primary government focus is protecting motorbike riders and improving the safety of public transport.
The NTSC is developing the national traffic safety strategy from 2005 - 2010. Also the Government of Vietnam has agreed to a US$31 million loan from the World Bank to develop and implement a dedicated road safety project targeting a number of primary issues over a four year period. The loan and nature of the project is the first of its type in the world and could become a model for other countries facing similar road safety challenges. The project includes significant institutional strengthening and capacity building programmes and a large scale demonstration project to improve the safety on three corridors extending from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.
Road safety coordination
The government established the National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC) to lead and co-ordinate the implementation of a national strategy and sees road safety as a priority. The NTSC is responsible for coordinating road safety among various ministries and for the development and implementation of a national road safety programme entitled the National Programme for Traffic Safety (NPTS). Information from a World Bank financed road safety study in the late 90s provided important input into the Programme.
A major road safety project has been agreed on between the government and the World Bank about a major road safety project. GRSP has been working with the World Bank in the development of the project and in facilitating cooperation with other sectors. It is envisioned that GRSP will support the programme of the NTSC by developing road safety initiatives in partnership with the private, public, and civil society sectors as part of the proposed World Bank programme. The NTSC would be responsible for coordinating the resulting multi-sector improvement programme.
Numerous development funding agencies are active in Viet Nam. With respect to road safety, the World Bank is the primary such entity with a proposed major project under discussion (see above). The Asian Development Bank supports a regional technical assistance project for the ASEAN countries (Viet Nam is a member of ASEAN), which aims to share good practice in road safety throughout the region. The Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) is also active in road safety through its work with the health sector, the national injury reduction strategy, and safe communities work.
In Viet Nam, NGOs and other civil society organisations such as the University, and radio stations are also working in road safety. The Asia Injury Prevention Foundation (AIPF), the Viet Nam Red Cross Society and Handicap International, Belgium, (HI) are particularly active.
GRSP in Vietnam
Since first visiting Viet Nam in 2000, GRSP has adopted a strategy of facilitating specific road safety initiatives through partner agencies. These have included the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the French and Vietnamese Red Cross and the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation (AIPF). At the same time GRSP has sought formal approval to work in Viet Nam through the National Traffic Safety Committee (NTSC).
GRSP participated in the early discussions between the World Bank and the NTSC on the development of a major road safety project. Working effectively with the key stakeholders is recognised as a key part of the project strategy and an agreed requirement was the establishment of a Consultative Council to enable an effective coordination, consultation and participatory process.
The Viet Nam government gives priority to improved motorcycle safety and raised helmet wearing levels. GRSP together with the AIPF, and the French and Vietnamese Red Cross will continue to support this focus by building capacity through workshops, facilitating the development of a national helmet action plan and implementing helmet campaigns.
Projects
Safer Roads Users
Helmet workshop
Through its GRSI initiative, GRSP facilitated the development and implementation of a national helmet wearing workshop to assist the government of Viet Nam develop a national strategy to increase helmet wearing rates in the country. The workshop took place in December 2006 (see GRSI ASEAN).
Project summary: Helmet law and enforcement, Vietnam
Helmets for Kids
In liaison with GRSP, a joint project between the French and Vietnamese Red Cross worth nearly a quarter of a million dollars adopted a twin-track approach to improving road safety by providing first aid at key intersections and running media campaigns in the main cities of Hanoi, the capital, and Ho Chi Minh City.
The Red Cross first-aid effort is targeted specifically at dangerous urban entry points in neighborhoods where the national highways begin. Currently 1300 volunteers are equipped with first-aid kits and a stretcher at each of the four locations in Hanoi and 160 volunteers were trained in Ho Chi Minh City.
In both cities, the Red Cross organised a highly visible poster campaign with 200,000 posters and widespread media coverage including national TV and radio to encourage helmet-use among motorcyclists. This national campaign was a partnership project funded by the Red Cross, the French Cooperation, the Vietnamese authorities and the private sector, illustrating the ability to create a strong road safety partnership among multiple sectors in Viet Nam.
Road Safety and Schools
In 2006 AIPF launched a new traffic safety improvement project that has been successfully piloted at two primary schools in Ha Noi. The aim is to improve the road safety environment in and around the school and include on-site survey, facility improvement, traffic safety activities, enforcement activities, monitoring and evaluation.
The Vietnamese and French Red Cross organised in Ha Noi a “Student Road Safety” Festival. Twenty two universities and 20 high schools participated.