Emergency lanes, surveillance cameras proposed for expressway following fatal crash in Vietnam

Vice-chairman of the Lam Dong People’s Committee Nguyen Hong Hai signed a dispatch proposing the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Construction take action to prevent potential accidents.

After a fatal crash occurred on July 9, local authorities quickly directed forces to collaborate in addressing the aftermath.

To mitigate future accidents, the province has urged the Ministry of Public Security to task the Traffic Police Department with expediting the investigation into the cause of the accident, finalize the case documentation, and enforce the law accordingly.

In particular, the province stressed the need for stricter speed monitoring on the expressway, especially at night and for long-distance sleeper buses, a recurring factor in past incidents.

Besides, the province proposed the installation of surveillance cameras along the entire Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet Expressway, which will enable real-time monitoring of traffic violations and provide critical data for accident investigations and emergency response.

Lam Dong Province called on the Ministry of Construction to prioritize the construction of continuous emergency stopping lanes throughout the expressway, assess existing traffic safety systems on the route, and promptly address any deficiencies or shortcomings.

The 100-kilometer-long Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet Expressway currently lacks a continuous emergency lane, with stopping points spaced nearly every five kilometers, local media reported.

In a previous interview with Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, Pham Quoc Huy, CEO of the Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet Expressway project, confirmed that the project’s developer was implementing a smart traffic management package, which included the installation of surveillance cameras.

The investor was also constructing toll and weighing stations at key interchanges, he said.

These components are expected to be completed and operational by 2025.

He also revealed that the government had approved a proposal allowing the Ministry of Construction to plan the next phase of expansion for the expressway.

The July 9 crash occurred when a sleeper bus traveling on Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet Expressway collided with the rear of another bus that had broken down and stopped in the traffic lane.

The crash caused both vehicles to sustain heavy damage, leaving three dead and injuring over 10 others.

This incident is one of many that have raised safety concerns along the expressway.

From January to September 2024 alone, the Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet Expressway recorded 13 accidents, resulting in nine deaths and eight injuries.

Many of the vehicles involved had pulled over in travel lanes due to mechanical failures, only to be struck by other vehicles.

The new Lam Dong Province was formed by merging the former Lam Dong with Binh Thuan and Dak Nong Provinces, effective from July 1, in line with the national merger policy.

Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet Expressway, part of the big-ticket North-South expressway project, stretches over 100 kilometers through the former Binh Thuan Province, connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Khanh Hoa Province.