Calls to end Vietnam road chaos

By Bill Hayton
BBC News, Hanoi

Many people say it is too hot to wear helmets

Health officials in Vietnam have called on the country's authorities to increase efforts to tackle the epidemic of head injuries on Vietnam's roads.

On average, 30 people a day are killed in traffic accidents in the country.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ministry of Health are launching a nationwide information campaign about the benefits of wearing helmets.

Motorbikes make up 98% of traffic. Almost as many people die on the roads each year as of infectious diseases.

While that is partly due to the country's success in controlling disease it is also an indicator of the crisis on the roads.

Rules ignored

Safety training is minimal, traffic rules are ignored and drink-driving is common.

The Asian Development Bank calculates that road accidents cost the country nearly $900m (£470m) each year in medical care and lost earnings.

The WHO and the Ministry of Health are calling on the police, schools and Communist Party organisations to do more to tackle the problem.

One problem they face is money - in one of the poorest countries in the world a helmet can cost half a month's wages.

But another is climate. Many people say it is too hot to wear helmets in Vietnam and women complain that they mess up their hairstyles.

The WHO is also calling for better first aid training - particularly since it is routine for people in the bigger cities to avoid or even ignore the victims of road accidents.