On 30/8, traffic volume increased significantly on the north-south expressway as people traveled from Ho Chi Minh City to central Vietnam for the holiday and to visit their hometowns. During peak hours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., several collisions and incidents occurred in Lam Dong province, causing localized traffic jams and slowdowns.

The scene of a three-car collision on the Dau Giay-Phan Thiet expressway on the afternoon of 30/8. Photo: *Courtesy of a bystander*

On the Dau Giay-Phan Thiet expressway, three 5-7 seater cars traveling in the same direction collided near Tan Minh commune. The vehicles sustained damage to their front and rear ends. While there were no casualties, the stopped cars caused extended traffic congestion.

Around noon, a car broke down on the Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet expressway, about 6 km from the Vinh Hao interchange. The disabled vehicle, stopped in the inner lane near the median, resulted in traffic backing up for over a kilometer during peak hours.

At 2:30 p.m. the same day, another car traveling south-north veered off the Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet expressway near Luong Son commune, landing in an empty lot beside the road. The car's front end was severely damaged, and the occupants suffered minor injuries.

Minor traffic congestion on the Vinh Hao-Phan Thiet expressway. Photo: *Courtesy of a bystander*

Traffic police and rescue teams promptly responded to the incidents, managing traffic flow and clearing the scenes.

With a four-day holiday for 2/9, many people in Ho Chi Minh City chose to travel, particularly to the central provinces. In addition to National Highway 1, the expressway to Phan Thiet and Nha Trang was a popular route for drivers.

Tu Huynh