From this statement, the authorities initially determined the cause of the particularly serious traffic accident on the Da Nang - Quang Ngai expressway, which killed 2 people and injured 16 others, on the morning of June 19.
Tractor-trailers stop in violation of regulations, passenger cars cannot avoid
On June 19, Quang Nam Provincial Police worked with driver L.X.H. (born in 1981, residing in Vinh Phuc) - the driver of a tractor-trailer with license plate 29H-928.77 towing a trailer 29RM-000.74.
At the investigation agency, the driver confessed that due to sleepiness, he stopped the car in the emergency lane to rest, but the stop location was not in accordance with regulations: part of the body encroached on the lane, and at the same time, no warning device was placed behind the car. This person only turned on the danger warning lights without fully implementing accident prevention steps according to road traffic regulations.
According to the initial assessment, the tractor-trailer driver violated serious regulations on stopping and parking on the highway, including: Not parking near the edge of the emergency lane; not placing warning signs or reflective objects behind; allowing the vehicle to encroach on the lane, obstructing vehicles to travel at high speeds.
Meanwhile, passenger car driver P.D.T. (born in 1976, from Nam Dinh) was determined to have not paid attention while driving a passenger bus with license plate 15H-098.25. This led to a direct crash into the rear of a tractor-trailer that was stopped.
As Lao Dong reported, the accident occurred at around 2:00 a.m. on June 19 at Km46+100, passing through Binh Chanh commune, Thang Binh district. A passenger bus from Mai Duc bus company, running on the Hai Phong - Ho Chi Minh City route, crashed into the rear of a tractor-trailer that was stopped in the emergency lane.
The collision caused passenger car driver P.D.T. and bus assistant N.V.T. died on the spot. 16 other passengers were injured, of which 2 were seriously injured and 14 were slightly injured. Both vehicles were severely damaged.
A quick check showed that the tractor-trailer driver did not violate alcohol or drug concentrations.
Limited emergency lane, lack of rest stops
Notably, according to QCVN 115:2024/BGTVT, the emergency lane for a level 120 expressway must be at least 3m wide. However, the Da Nang - Quang Ngai Expressway is designed with a stop lane of only 2.5m, but the actual measurement at the scene of the accident was only about 2.4m, while the width of the container truck trailer was up to 3.05m. This makes stopping in the emergency lane unsafe for vehicles.
In addition, this expressway has not yet had rest stops, causing great pressure on drivers when traveling long distances, easily leading to fatigue, snoring and being forced to stop at the wrong place.
A representative of the Traffic Police Department (Ministry of Public Security) also issued a warning: On highways, where vehicles are traveling at speeds of 60 - 120km/h, if the vehicle suddenly stops or there is no warning from a distance, serious accidents will easily occur.
In all emergency situations, drivers need to: turn on the warning lights; bring the vehicle into the lane near the edge; place a warning object at least 150m away from the vehicle; move out of the vehicle to a safe location behind the railing.
Currently, Quang Nam Provincial Police continue to consolidate the case file, clarify the responsibilities of relevant parties for handling according to legal regulations.
The incident also raises urgent requirements for upgrading infrastructure, expanding emergency lanes and adding rest stops on the Da Nang - Quang Ngai expressway to ensure traffic safety in the coming time.
