Vietnam records 199 fatalities in long-haul bus crashes in 5 months

A series of deadly long-distance bus crashes have prompted traffic police to tighten oversight of the passenger transport sector, according to the Traffic Police Department under the Ministry of Public Security.

The department said on Tuesday evening that accidents involving interprovincial buses have become increasingly complex in recent months.

Within the past week alone, two separate sleeper bus crashes have left 11 people dead.

The latest tragedy occurred at around 2:00 am on Tuesday along National Highway 1A in Dong Nai City, a neighbor of Ho Chi Minh City.

According to investigators, a sleeper bus driven by 41-year-old Tran Thanh Hai was carrying 36 passengers from Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam to the southern metropolis.

Police said the driver spotted a truck traveling in the same direction but, suffering from fatigue and drowsiness, suddenly swerved to the right, striking a roadside guardrail.

The impact sparked a fire beneath the vehicle, which rapidly engulfed the entire bus.

Seven people were killed and five others injured, while the bus was completely destroyed in the blaze.

The department stressed that ensuring safety in passenger transport must be treated as a top priority.

“The lives and property of passengers cannot be left solely to the responsibility of drivers and vehicle owners,” according to the department.

Traffic police will conduct comprehensive inspections of passenger transport companies to evaluate compliance with traffic safety regulations.

The review will examine the responsibilities of companies' traffic safety management units, driver training and safety education programs, as well as the operation of onboard monitoring systems and surveillance cameras installed on long-distance buses.

Also, they will study technical safety standards for long-haul buses, including emergency exits, appropriate speed requirements, and other safety measures.

In addition, the department plans to assess potential shortcomings in state management and regulatory oversight of the passenger transport business as part of broader efforts to improve road safety.