Around 6:00 AM, a tractor-trailer with a Lam Dong license plate was traveling on the expressway from Ninh Binh to Hanoi when it experienced a flat tire near Chuong Duong commune. The 36-year-old driver slowed to enter the emergency lane. Vehicle tracking data recorded the truck's speed at approximately 22 km/h.

At the same time, a 24-seat passenger bus with a Thanh Hoa license plate, driven by a 50-year-old, crashed into the rear of the tractor-trailer. As a result, the 37-year-old assistant driver, a resident of Thanh Hoa, died at the scene.

Debris was scattered across the road within a 50-meter radius at the scene. The bus front was destroyed on the passenger side, and the tractor-trailer's rear was dented. Property damage was estimated at 300 million VND.

The 24-seat passenger bus sustained severe damage to its front after the collision on the morning of 8/9. *Xuan Hoa*

Authorities arrived to manage traffic, secure the scene, and investigate the incident.

The Traffic Police Department (Cuc CSGT) under the Ministry of Public Security stated the preliminary cause was the bus driver's inattention and failure to maintain a safe distance, leading to the collision.

The Cuc CSGT advises drivers not to tailgate vehicles, always maintaining a safe distance to allow time and space to react if the vehicle ahead slows, brakes abruptly, or experiences a problem. When weather, road conditions, or visibility are unfavorable, drivers should proactively reduce speed and increase their safe following distance.

Effective 27/8, the Cuc CSGT began penalizing drivers for failing to maintain a safe distance between vehicles on the Bac Nam expressway, specifically the Phap Van - Cau Gie to Nghi Son stretch. This is a key measure to foster safe driving habits and reduce rear-end collisions on expressways.

Under Decree 168/2024, drivers failing to maintain a safe distance without causing a collision will face a fine of 4 to 6 million VND and a deduction of two points from their driving license. If such an action causes a traffic accident, the penalty increases significantly to 20 to 22 million VND and a deduction of 10 points from the driving license.

Viet An