Colonel Tran Thai Quang Hoang, deputy director of Thanh Hoa provincial police, announced this information at a press conference organized by the Thanh Hoa provincial people's committee on the afternoon of 15/1.

According to Hoang, in addition to the two aforementioned errors, investigation results showed that the involved drivers were not under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or other stimulants.

The investigative agency is consolidating the dossier to soon prosecute the case for violating road traffic regulations. Statements from the driver and other information have not yet been disclosed by the Thanh Hoa provincial police leadership.

Colonel Tran Thai Quang Hoang, deputy director of Thanh Hoa provincial police, provides information about the accident at the press conference on the afternoon of 15/1. Photo: Le Hoang

At approximately 3:40 a.m. on 14/1, a 16-seat passenger van with a Ha Tinh license plate, driven by Phan Van Truong, 40, was traveling on the Mai Son - National Highway 45 expressway from Nghe An to Ha Noi. Upon reaching Dong Tien commune, the van collided with the rear of a tractor-trailer, driven by Bui Van Hoi, which was stopped ahead.

At the same time, another tractor-trailer, driven by Trinh Khac Hung, 37, from Yen Ninh commune, Thanh Hoa province, crashed forcefully into the right side of the passenger van from behind, pushing it closer to the median barrier. The strong impact severely deformed the right side of the van, and part of its crushed front end was wedged under the front tractor-trailer. All three vehicles were tightly entangled, blocking nearly two lanes of the expressway.

The two consecutive collisions resulted in two passengers dying at the scene, and two others dying en route to the hospital. All victims were from Dong Loc commune, with ages ranging from 18 to 64 years old. Six other people were injured; three suffered head trauma, spinal injuries, and broken limbs, and were transferred to Viet Duc Hospital in Ha Noi for treatment.

Witnesses reported that the passenger van was transporting relatives of the bride, Dang Thi Dung, from Ha Tinh to Hung Yen to visit the groom's family and discuss wedding plans for her.

Dung was not in the accident vehicle as she was in Tien Hai preparing for the reception. However, the trip claimed the lives of her eldest son, Vo Dang Quang Anh, 18, and her maternal uncle, Trinh Quyen, 64. Her father, Dang Hoa, remains in critical condition.

According to Hoang Van Dong, deputy head of Thanh Hoa provincial traffic safety committee, both the passenger van driver and the driver of the rear-colliding tractor-trailer (Thanh Hoa license plate) were at fault for failing to observe and maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. These errors led to an accident "causing significant loss of life and property". The Ninh Binh-licensed truck driven by Bui Van Hoi was determined to have been forced to stop on the road due to another traffic collision ahead, preventing it from moving.

The passenger van's front end was crushed after two collisions on the Mai Son - National Highway 45 expressway on the morning of 14/1. Photo: Lam Son

The section of the expressway where the accident occurred has two lanes in each direction, no emergency lane, and a flat road surface, with vehicles allowed to travel at a maximum speed of 90 km/h. At the time of the accident, the weather was clear, but fog reduced visibility. Vehicle inspection data showed that all three vehicles had valid inspection certificates.

Mai Xuan Liem, vice chairman of the Thanh Hoa provincial people's committee, stated that since the Mai Son - National Highway 45 expressway opened through the province, many serious accidents have occurred. In 2025 alone, 10 people died on this route.

Liem believes that the Mai Son - National Highway 45 expressway and other sections of the expressway currently exhibit many shortcomings, such as narrow roads and a lack of emergency lanes, posing a very high risk of accidents.

"The provincial people's committee and relevant agencies will propose to competent authorities to consider upgrading and expanding the expressway sections to meet standards, reducing the risk of accidents", Liem said.

Le Hoang