Document Detail


The formulation and implementation of a national helmet law: a case study from Viet Nam.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  20931064     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
PROBLEM: Road traffic injuries are a leading cause of death and disability in Viet Nam. In 2008, official data reported 11 243 deaths and 7771 serious injuries on the roads, of which an estimated 60% of fatalities occur in motorcycle riders and passengers. In recognition of this problem, Viet Nam has had partial motorcycle helmet legislation since 1995. However, for a variety of reasons, implementation and enforcement have been limited.
APPROACH: On 15 December 2007, Viet Nam's first comprehensive mandatory helmet law came into effect, covering all riders and passengers on all roads nationwide. Penalties increased ten-fold and cohorts of police were mobilized for enforcement.
LOCAL SETTING: The Viet Nam national helmet legislation was developed and implemented by the National Traffic Safety Committee.
RELEVANT CHANGES: Despite past barriers to enforcement, increased policing in 2008 led to 680 000 infringements being issued for non-helmet wearing. While changes in helmet wearing were not nationally observed, significant increases were documented in selected provinces in the first six months of the law's introduction. In Da Nang, helmet wearing increased from 27 to 99%. In the first three months after the law took effect, surveillance data from 20 urban and rural hospitals, found the risk of road traffic head injuries and deaths decreased by 16% and 18% respectively.
LESSONS LEARNT: Political leadership, intensive advanced public education and stringent enforcement have contributed to the successful implementation of the new law. Through continual monitoring of the legislation, loopholes detrimental to the effectiveness of the law have been identified and addressed.
Authors:
Jonathon W Passmore; Lan Huong Nguyen; Nam Phuong Nguyen; Jean-Marc Olivé
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2010-08-30
Journal Detail:
Title:  Bulletin of the World Health Organization     Volume:  88     ISSN:  1564-0604     ISO Abbreviation:  Bull. World Health Organ.     Publication Date:  2010 Oct 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2010-10-08     Completed Date:  2011-02-17     Revised Date:  2011-08-25    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7507052     Medline TA:  Bull World Health Organ     Country:  Switzerland    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  783-7     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
World Health Organization, Viet Nam Country Office, Hanoi, Viet Nam. passmorej@wpro.who.int
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Head Protective Devices*
Health Policy / legislation & jurisprudence*
Health Promotion
Humans
Motorcycles / legislation & jurisprudence*
Program Development*
Public Health*
Retrospective Studies
Safety Management / legislation & jurisprudence*
Social Marketing
Vietnam

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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