Haunted Crossroads of Death

(Baonghean) - After more than 2 months of being put into use, National Highway 46B has become an important route, shortening the time from Cua Lo to Uncle Ho's hometown, reducing the traffic load in Vinh City. However, in the past 2 months, there have been dozens of traffic accidents at the intersection between National Highway 46B and National Highway 1A, the Vinh City bypass. People call this a black spot, a deadly intersection, haunting traffic participants.

Accident scene at noon on July 22.

We arrived on National Highway 46B at noon on July 22. The flat, wide asphalt road connecting Dang Thai Mai Street, Vinh City runs straight through green fields, newly planned residential areas with spacious houses.

Crossing Cho Gia Bridge, we arrived at the intersection between National Highway 46B and National Highway 1A. The sign "Road section where traffic accidents often occur" was erected right in front of the intersection sign. While herding buffalo in the field, Mr. Tran Khai Ninh, Lam Hong hamlet, Hung Tay commune sighed: "The accidents are terrible, all cars and motorbikes crashed into each other. Everyone in my village is scared when they hear the sound of brakes and the screeching of tires." He pointed to the intersection and said that just 4 days ago, a small car traveling from Nam Dan to Vinh City crashed straight into a luxury sleeper bus carrying dozens of passengers. The sound of people crying, the sound of footsteps running, the siren of an ambulance disturbed the whole village. That day, 3 people were seriously injured, more than 30 passengers were scared. About 5 minutes later, when Mr. Ninh was about to cross the street to go home, he suddenly heard the sound of brakes screeching, then a crash. An accident happened right before our eyes when a sand truck traveling from South to North and a 7-seat passenger car traveling from Vinh to Nam Dan both lost control of their speed and crashed into each other. A 4-year-old child was taken out of the passenger car by his relatives with his head covered in blood. The two drivers and local people worriedly took the child to the emergency room. The passenger car was completely crushed in the front and sides. Glass pieces were scattered all over the road,…

While standing to regulate traffic and protect the scene of the accident, Mr. Phan Van Khuyen, Hung Tay Commune Police, said that accidents have occurred frequently on this road. Recently, Mr. Nguyen Dinh Hung (born in 1962, residing in Thu Thuy Ward, Cua Lo Town) was driving a 4-seat car with license plate 37S-0022 on National Highway 46B in the direction of Nam Dan District - Vinh City. When reaching the intersection with the Vinh City bypass, he suddenly crashed straight into the side of a sleeper bus with license plate 47B-010.20 running on the Bac Giang - Dak Lak route driven by Mr. Dinh Xuan Manh (born in 1980, residing in Yen Dung, Bac Giang Province). The head-on collision crushed the front of the car, the passenger bus was damaged at the side, the two people in the car, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Ha (52 years old, Mr. Hung's wife) and Mr. Nguyen Dinh Yen (Mrs. Ha's brother) were seriously injured, Mr. Hung was slightly injured. Not long before, Mr. NTQ (51 years old), residing in Nam Dan district, was riding a motorbike to Vinh City, when he reached the intersection with National Highway 1A, he collided with a Hanoi-licensed sleeper bus traveling from South to North. At the same time, a 7-seat Toyota car traveling from Vinh City to Nam Dan did not have time to handle the situation and crashed into the passenger bus. After the series of collisions, Mr. Q.'s motorbike was stuck under the wheels of the sleeper bus, the victim on the motorbike died on the spot...

According to statistics, from the beginning of May until now, there have been 31 traffic accidents on this road, at least 3 people died on the spot, many people were injured, dozens of vehicles including motorbikes and cars were severely damaged. Accidents happen so often that people here are worried, they call this the crossroads of death, black intersection.

Through investigation, the reason for the continuous traffic accidents at this intersection is because both are national highways but there are no traffic lights, no roundabouts, and the speed bump system is too simple. Meanwhile, this intersection is very wide, making it easy for drivers to lose focus, the density of vehicles is very high, mainly trucks, long-distance passenger cars and tourist cars, running at very high speeds, etc. As a very experienced tractor driver, transporting fruit from the South to Lang Son, Mr. Dang Vu An said that every time he passes this intersection, he has to stop to rest and observe because he and his assistant have witnessed many accidents here. Long-distance truck driver Nguyen Van Loc said that since the Vinh bypass was repaired, the speed of drivers on the route has been more stable, faster, and when encountering this intersection without red lights, accidents are more likely to happen. “I have witnessed accidents here three times. If there are no measures, the number of deaths and injuries here will certainly be much higher,” Mr. Loc sighed.

It is known that the local authorities of Hung Tay commune and Hung Nguyen district have repeatedly proposed that the authorities must build a traffic light system at the intersection to reduce traffic accidents. Most recently, in a meeting of secretaries of districts, cities and towns, comrade Hoang Van Phi, member of the Provincial Party Committee, Secretary of the Hung Nguyen District Party Committee, proposed to soon build a traffic light system at this intersection. “In fact, this intersection is very wide, making traffic controllers confused. The two roads are at the same level, so drivers do not have the consciousness to give way to each other because there are no traffic lights. That is why the accident situation has increased. Previously, at the intersection between National Highway 46 and National Highway 1A, Vinh bypass section in Hung Dao commune, Hung Nguyen district, accidents often occurred, but since the traffic light system was installed, the traffic accident situation has decreased a lot. Hopefully, in the near future, this intersection will be equipped with a traffic light system.” Mr. Pham Hong Quang, Deputy Director of Nghe An Department of Transport, said that due to the continuous traffic accidents occurring at this intersection, Nghe An Department of Transport has had meetings with the Ministry of Transport, proposing to request additional funding to install a traffic light system. Currently, the Ministry of Transport has approved the policy of building traffic lights here, and the construction unit is surveying and installing.

Leaving the deadly intersection, our hearts were heavy. On the side of the road, a small shrine had been built by the people, partly to console the unfortunate fates, and also to warn drivers to be more careful when passing through here, hoping to reduce traffic accidents as the traffic light system here has not been installed yet.

Nguyen Khoa