National Highway 6 is a 466 km long national highway, connecting Hanoi with the Northwestern provinces: Hoa Binh, Son La, Dien Bien.
This is a vital route, with thousands of vehicles circulating every day. With harsh terrain, steep slopes, negative slopes and harsh weather, the risk of accidents is always lurking in steep passes and corners.
With many years of experience driving on the Hanoi - Dien Bien route, Mr. Le Dung said that going down a steep pass in rain will reduce visibility, causing more slippery, making it easier to observe and control the vehicle, these are 2 factors that can lead to danger when driving a vehicle.
According to Mr. Dung, National Highway 6 has many dangerous sections, but the most dangerous is the section from Dong Bang intersection (Mai Chau, Hoa Binh) back to Moc Chau (Son La) with large traffic, mainly tractor-trailers, quite dangerous terrain, many sections with large slopes, sharp turns. If traveling in rainy and foggy weather conditions, the potential risk of traffic accidents is very high.
When driving in rainy weather and with limited visibility, the speed of the vehicle should be maintained to be about 5-15 km/h slower than normal to ensure safety. In such conditions, drivers are absolutely not allowed to brake suddenly and need to turn on the lights in high-altitude mode, Mr. Dung shared.
Similarly, Mr. Giang - a driver of Hai Dinh bus company (Dien Bien - Thanh Hoa route) said that National Highway 6 has three most dangerous sections: Thung Khe Pass (Tan Lac, Hoa Binh), Moc Chau Pass with many slippery turns and the section from Yen Chau town to Ta Lang commune (Yen Chau district, Son La), where drivers often drive recklessly due to the lack of roads.
When traveling on National Highway 6, I always reduce my number, focus highly on the curves and slopes, and am ready to face all situations to ensure the safety of passengers on the bus, Giang confided.
With experience driving at night, Mr. Giang shared the secret to helping his colleagues concentrate: every time he meets a car in the opposite direction, he will turn on the lights and blow the whistle, creating alertness for the opposing driver, helping them avoid sleepiness.
While driving, Mr. Giang encountered many cases of cars and passenger cars encroaching on the entire lane when entering the corner, especially when they were not familiar with the road. If you are not careful and prepare mentally, collisions can easily occur.
Recalling a recent dangerous situation, Mr. Giang said: "Last night (February 22), when I was traveling from Dien Bien to Thanh Hoa, when I reached Tan Son slope (Hoa Binh), I encountered a car going in the wrong direction, encroaching on my lane. Not knowing if the car wanted to go straight or turn, I flashed the lights and honked to warn.
At this time, the driver of the car lowered the glass, explaining that it was because he was not used to the road and the thick fog, hoping for my sympathy. I advise drivers who cannot drive should stop and wait for the fog to clear before continuing to ensure safety, Giang recalled.
In fact, the phenomenon of drizzle and fog leading to the risk of accidents from steep passes and corners is always present on National Highway 6.
A typical example is the accident that occurred at 11:30 p.m. on February 21 at Km 235+100, National Highway 6, through Sap Vat Commune, Yen Chau District, killing 6 people, injuring 9 people, and damaging 02 cars blocking the entire road.
Based on the results of the examination, the cause of the accident was determined to be due to rain, the road was slippery, the bus driver did not control the speed, so when he cornered, half of the rear body of the bus was thrown into the opposite lane and collided with a tractor-trailer.
The bus driver did not have alcohol concentration and was negative for drugs. The accident is currently being further investigated and clarified by the authorities.
