Car plunges into pit on Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway

A 7-seater car collided with a warning sign and plunged into a road under repair, falling into a manhole and sustaining heavy damage, shortly after entering the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway.

At approximately 9 PM on 7/9, a 7-seater car traveling from Dong Nai towards TP HCM struck warning signs and traffic cones about 2 km past the Vo Nguyen Giap interchange, in a section undergoing repairs in Phuoc Tan ward.

The vehicle then plunged into a road section that had been excavated nearly 20 cm below the main surface, falling into a manhole before coming to a stop in the middle of the expressway. While both wheels sustained severe damage, no injuries were reported.

The vehicle's dashcam footage indicated that the warning sign was positioned approximately 50 m from the repair zone and lacked any signal lights.

Dashcam footage from the accident vehicle.

A representative from the Dong Nai City Transport Works Project Management Board, the investor for component project one of the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway, confirmed that the road section was undergoing repairs to address specific issues and enhance traffic safety. The repairs had been registered with relevant management authorities.

"We are currently reviewing the placement of warning signs to determine if they were too close to the repair site, and we are coordinating with relevant agencies to address the situation," stated the Board representative.

A 7-seater car sustained heavy damage after the accident on the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway. Photo: *Thai Ha*.

Regulations stipulate that during expressway repairs, the construction contractor must place warning signs and emergency lights at night a minimum of 150 m from the work area.

The Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway spans nearly 54 km, with an investment of approximately 17,800 billion VND, and is divided into three component projects. The entire route was temporarily opened on 18/5, permitting vehicles with fewer than 9 seats to travel at a maximum speed of 80 km/h.

Once fully operational, the expressway is projected to ease congestion on National Highway 51 and reduce travel time from TP HCM to Vung Tau to about 70 minutes, a significant improvement from the current two-hour journey.