The fatal incident occurred around 15h40 on 20/7. A 46-year-old male driver, originally from Tuyen Quang, was operating a truck with a Ho Chi Minh City license plate. He was traveling on the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway, heading towards Ha Noi, when the accident took place at Km153, within Mau A commune, Lao Cai province.

The truck suddenly veered right, colliding directly with a corrugated iron barrier protecting a construction site. The impact caused extensive damage to the front of the vehicle and knocked down about 4 meters of the barrier. An iron bar from the barrier impaled the driver, who was rushed to Mau A Medical Center for emergency treatment but succumbed to his injuries.

Dashcam footage from a vehicle traveling ahead indicated the truck was moving at approximately 60 km/h at the moment of impact.

The accident scene. *Photo: Van Phuc*

This incident marks another fatality involving a collision with a corrugated iron barrier on the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway. Previous similar accidents highlight ongoing safety concerns on this route.

On the afternoon of 3/3, a pickup truck also crashed into a construction barrier in Chau Que commune, Lao Cai province, while heading towards Noi Bai. The vehicle then veered into the road expansion area and overturned. The driver was impaled by an iron bar from the barrier and died instantly.

Another incident occurred on 20/4 in Bao Ha commune, Lao Cai province, where a pickup truck similarly struck a construction barrier and entered the road expansion zone. The driver died at the scene, with the truck's front end destroyed and its windshield cracked. A section of the barrier was torn open.

In response to these recurring incidents of vehicles crashing into construction sites on the Noi Bai - Lao Cai expressway, the Traffic Police Department has advised drivers to reduce speed and maintain safe distances. The department has also issued fines to contractors and construction units for multiple violations of traffic safety regulations, including the inadequate placement of signs and barriers.

The Ha Noi - Lao Cai expressway spans over 260 km, connecting Ha Noi, Phu Tho, and Lao Cai provinces. The specific section where this latest accident occurred is currently undergoing expansion, featuring only two lanes and lacking a hard median divider.

Viet An