A driver miraculously survived a horrific multi-vehicle collision on the Mai Son - Quoc Lo 45 expressway on the afternoon of 22/3. The incident, near Tam Diep tunnel in Yen Son ward, involved three container trucks, two lorries, and a Toyota Yaris Cross car, which was completely mangled.

At the scene, the black Yaris Cross was crushed between a container truck and a lorry, its body deformed beyond recognition. The rear of the vehicle was pushed forward almost to the back seats, while the front and left side were destroyed, and the roof was torn off. A rear wheel was detached, with debris from the windshield, plastic trim, and lights scattered for tens of meters across the road.

The driver of the Yaris Cross miraculously escaped with only minor injuries.

The car was hit from behind, spinning around on the expressway. Nguyen Thien

The collision, which blocked both lanes of the expressway, completely paralyzed traffic heading towards Ha Noi. With increased weekend traffic, congestion quickly spread, creating a tailback of vehicles stretching over 10 km to the accident scene.

Authorities and emergency services swiftly responded. A representative from Road Management Office I.1 stated that at the time of the accident, road conditions were dry, and all signage and traffic safety systems on that section of the route were fully functional.

Traffic police and road management units diverted and regulated traffic. On the same evening, specialized recovery vehicles were mobilized to separate the damaged vehicles and clear the scene.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the accident. Initial police assessments suggest the collision may have resulted from vehicles failing to maintain a safe distance while traveling at high speeds on the expressway.

The windshield was torn open, and the car's roof was gone. Nguyen Thien

The rear section of the car was crushed. Nguyen Thien

The rear and the driver's side body panel were completely destroyed. Nguyen Thien

As images of the mangled Yaris Cross circulated on social media, many questioned why the airbags did not deploy. However, according to road safety experts, this was a rear-end collision. Since the front of the car, where the airbag sensors are located, remained intact, the airbags would not have deployed.

Airbags are designed to protect occupants when they are thrown forward, typically in a frontal collision. In a rear-end impact, inertia causes occupants to be pushed back into their seats rather than propelled forward. Nevertheless, whether airbags deploy also depends on the direction and force of impact in the actual situation.

Le Hoang