On 5/2, a police lieutenant colonel died on national highway 1B in Thai Nguyen after being struck by a dump truck. The Traffic Police Department (Cuc CSGT) affirmed on 6/2 that the task force involved in the incident had performed its duties "according to regulations". The dump truck driver, Tran Duc Vu, 23, from Thai Nguyen, reportedly failed to control speed, maintain safe distance, queue properly, or observe when changing direction, leading to the unsafe swerve.

The incident occurred around 11:30 AM on 5/2, on national highway 1B in Quan Trieu ward, Thai Nguyen province. Lieutenant Colonel Lao Hoang Hai, 43, head of a task force from the Thai Nguyen Provincial Police Traffic Police Department, had stopped a truck with a Hung Yen license plate for an administrative check. While he was carrying out his duties, a dump truck with a Thai Nguyen license plate, driven by Tran Duc Vu, 23, also from Thai Nguyen, struck Lieutenant Colonel Hai, killing him instantly. The driver of the stopped truck was critically injured.

The accident scene on the morning of 5/2. Photo: CACC

A representative from the Traffic Police Department (Cuc CSGT) under the Ministry of Public Security stated on 6/2 that the task force's roadside inspection on national highway 1B was conducted as part of a patrol plan issued by the Thai Nguyen Provincial Police Traffic Police Department. The department described the inspection site as a straight, clear stretch of road with no obstructions to visibility. The road features a hard median, separating it into two directions, each with two lanes (each lane 3,5 m wide), and shoulders. The traffic police patrol oto was parked close to the right shoulder. Two traffic cones were placed behind the vehicle for warning, delineating the enforcement area. Officers stopped vehicles for inspection near the right shoulder, following standard operational procedures, according to Cuc CSGT. Dashcam footage from one vehicle following the dump truck also showed the road's width and the task force's adherence to regulations when stopping vehicles.

Regulations issued by the Minister of Public Security regarding road traffic patrol, control, and violation handling stipulate that roadside inspections must align with authorized plans. Traffic police are authorized to stop, inspect, detect, and process violations of road traffic safety laws and other legal infractions. For inspection sites, traffic police must select wide, clear locations with unobstructed views. When organizing a task force for roadside or station inspections, traffic police must use equipped cameras to record their activities. If inspections are conducted at night or in the evening, there must be adequate lighting.

The accident's cause remains under investigation.