Follow-up: Fatal rear-end sleeper bus crash occurs following tire burst on 2-lane expressway in Vietnam

Authorities said the crash occurred in Ham Liem Commune, where a Thien Tri sleeper bus had come to a stop due to a tire blowout.

Ham Liem Commune is formerly of Binh Thuan Province and now under the jurisdiction of Lam Dong following the recent major administrative restructuring in which 63 Vietnamese provinces and cities were reduced to 34 and local administrations being divided into provinces/cities and wards/communes, effective July 1.

Only 30 seconds before impact

The Thien Tri bus had only just halted—within 30 seconds and without time to set up a warning—when a Nhu Y 78 sleeper bus, traveling in the same direction from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, slammed into its rear.

The collision left three people dead at the scene, including driver Le Pham Anh Vu, 40, and assistant Trinh Gia Bao, 16, from the Thien Tri bus, and Phan Kim Thanh, 25, a driver’s assistant of the Nhu Y 78 bus.

Initial GPS data confirmed that the Nhu Y 78 bus was traveling within the speed limit, but investigators determined its driver Tran Van Cuong, a 42-year-old native of Dak Lak Province, failed to maintain proper observation and speed control.

He has been formally arrested and faces charges of 'violating road traffic regulations.'

At the police station, Cuong admitted fault.

Medical updates on injured victims

Luu Huynh Phuc, director of Binh Thuan General Hospital in Lam Dong, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that nearly 40 crash victims were brought in during the early hours.

Most of the injured sustained minor wounds and have since been discharged.

Three critical cases, including two adults and one child, were transferred to Ho Chi Minh City for further treatment.

Among them, a 70-year-old woman with a broken upper arm was awaiting surgery at Cho Ray Hospital, while a 44-year-old man suffered head trauma but is stable, a hospital representative confirmed on Wednesday night.

A nine-year-old child with liver and lung injuries is under close observation at Children’s Hospital 2.

Fatal design flaw: No emergency lane

The deadly crash has reignited concerns over the expressway’s limited design.

The 100km-long Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet Expressway has only two lanes in each direction, designated stopping points spaced 4-5 kilometers apart, and a 90kph speed limit.

The lack of emergency lanes forces vehicles with technical issues to stop in the active driving lane.

Drivers have repeatedly warned that the lack of a dedicated breakdown lane makes stopping dangerous.

Nguyen Quoc Phong, a driver who frequently uses this expressway, emphasized that no driver wants to stop on this expressway, but unavoidable incidents like tire blowouts or engine failures force them to take risks.

"If this happens on a national highway or an expressway with an emergency lane, drivers can quickly move to the innermost lane and handle it safely," Phong said.

“But the Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet Expressway is a dead end with only two lanes and no escape, especially at night when visibility is limited, making it harder for vehicles behind to react."

This is not the first fatal incident on this expressway.

Previously, another rear-end collision involving two sleeper buses killed two people on the site.

The Traffic Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security has repeatedly recommended adding emergency lanes as part of the expressway’s second development phase.

Authorities’ response

Authorities announced they will provide initial support of VND5 million (US$192) to the families of each deceased victim and VND2 million ($77) to one patient still receiving emergency care at Binh Thuan General Hospital in Lam Dong.

Lam Dong’s police chief, Colonel Truong Minh Duong, confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that while traffic patrol falls under national jurisdiction, the provincial police are conducting the investigation and have completed a detailed forensic inspection of the scene.

Traffic police advise drivers encountering incidents on expressways to attempt to move the vehicle to an emergency lane or close to the right shoulder, activate hazard warning lights, and place a warning triangle at least 150m behind the vehicle.

Drivers must ensure all occupants evacuate the vehicle and move beyond the guardrail on the right side of the road.

It is recommended to have someone stand at least 50m behind the vehicle, close to the shoulder, to signal danger.

Also, drivers need to immediately call traffic police or the emergency hotline for assistance.