In addition to the administrative fine, the driver also incurred a two-point deduction from her driver's license for operating a vehicle in a prohibited area. The Nghe An Provincial Police Department's Traffic Police Division issued the penalty decision, which was announced on the afternoon of 8/12/2024.

The incident occurred at approximately 14h on 5/11/2024, when the woman drove her Nghe An-registered 5-seater car across an unauthorized crossing intersecting the North-South railway line. This section passes through Thien Nhan commune, an area previously part of Nam Dan district. As the car crossed the tracks, its front left wheel derailed, trapping the vehicle on the railway.

A local resident, noticing the impending danger, stood in front of the car, facing the approaching AH1 cargo train, and continuously signaled a warning. Seeing the obstruction ahead, train driver Do Trung Kien immediately applied the emergency brake. The train successfully stopped about 100 m from the car, preventing a collision. Subsequently, residents assisted in moving the car off the tracks.

The incident caused the cargo train to stop for about one minute, though it did not affect the schedules of other trains. The location of the incident was an unauthorized crossing, already equipped with a "beware of train" warning sign, narrowing posts, and clear visibility.

The female driver (center) working with police. *Thanh Luan*

The railway industry emphasized the critical importance of the timely emergency braking. The train, pulling 24 freight cars with a load of nearly 850 tons, was traveling at high speed, which typically requires a very long braking distance. The swift action eliminated the risk of a serious accident involving people and property.

In the first seven months of the year, Nghe An recorded seven railway traffic accidents, resulting in two deaths and six injuries. The entire province currently has 171 intersections between roads and railways, including 73 railway crossings and 98 unauthorized crossings.

According to current regulations, cars are not permitted to cross unauthorized crossings or unsafe railway crossings. If a vehicle enters a prohibited intersection, obstructs train operations, and forces a train driver to apply the emergency brake, the car driver faces a fine and a deduction of points from their driver's license.

Duc Hung