The World Bank and the Vietnamese government have approved a 36 million US dollar road traffic safety project, the first of its kind in the country, Vietnam News Agency reported Saturday.

The project, which is to be implemented from January 2006 to June 2009, would enhance the capacity of traffic regulatory institutions in Vietnam, increase awareness of traffic safety, build a database on accidents and eliminate danger spots on highways.

It would also seek to toughen regulations on issuing driving licenses and checking vehicles, provide for the treatment of accident victims, and establish a traffic safety expert group.

The Vietnamese government will contribute nearly 4.4 million dollars to the plan, said the report.

Vietnam is ranked among the top in traffic accidents in the region, even the world. In the first 11 months this year, the country reported 12,700 cases of traffic accidents, killing about 11,000 people and injuring 10,000 others. Nearly 67 percent of the accidents occurred on roads, with 30 to 40 percent resulting in deaths, according to Vietnam's Transport Ministry.

Source: Xinhua