Need to deal with black spots of railway traffic accidents

(Baonghean.vn) - In less than 7 months, at 2 black spots Km299+623 and Km307+500 of the North-South railway, in Nghi Loc district, 4 railway traffic accidents occurred, killing 4 people and injuring 3 others.

The traffic accident between train SE6 and a 4-seat car that occurred on the afternoon of July 4 at the intersection of a residential road and a railway at Km299+623 in Hamlet 4, Nghi Yen Commune, still haunts many people. The accident left 2 people dead on the spot and 2 seriously injured.

Scene of a serious railway traffic accident that occurred on July 4 at the black spot Km299+632. Photo: Nhat Tuan.

Ms. Phung Thi Thom - a refreshment vendor on Highway 1A, opposite the local level crossing, said: “I saw a 4-seater car crawl up to the railway tracks and stop. I don’t know if the car had stalled or not, but it couldn’t move forward or backward. At that moment, a train was coming from the south. They knew the train was coming but for some reason they couldn’t open the door. The strong impact caused the car to be thrown terribly…”.

Nghi Loc district has 15.7km of railway running through the area. After handling, there are still 2 black spots of railway traffic accidents mentioned above. These 2 black spots account for the majority of serious railway traffic accidents that occur every year. Since the beginning of the year, there have been 4 incidents, killing 4 people and injuring 3 others.

During the investigation, authorities found that railway traffic accidents occurring at black spots were primarily due to traffic participants not observing when crossing the railway.

The residential level crossing into hamlet 16, Nghi Long commune, at km307+500 of the North-South railway currently does not have a traffic safety warning system such as warning bells, signal lights, automatic barriers, or stop lines.

Install warning bell system and automatic barrier at the level crossing to Nghi Long Commune People's Committee. Photo: Nhat Tuan.

At the intersection of the local level crossing connecting National Highway 1A to Hamlet 4, Nghi Yen Commune with the railway at Km299+263, the traffic infrastructure is still inadequate. The railway is too close and 1m higher than National Highway 1A, creating a large slope, limiting the driver's visibility; the level crossing is 5cm lower than the rail surface and the rail bed has not been smoothly treated. This level crossing also has no signal lights, barriers or warning bells.

On February 15, Nghi Loc District Police issued Official Dispatch No. 102CAH/GT and attached documents of traffic accidents to the Vietnam Railway Authority, the Railway Corporation and relevant agencies, proposing to close the intersection at Km299+623 in Hamlet 4, Nghi Yen Commune. Requesting to install an automatic barrier or automatic warning bell at the intersection at Km307+500 in Hamlet 16, Nghi Long Commune. Proposing to build a service road from National Highway 48E connecting to the road to Nghi Trung Commune People's Committee; closing the intersection at Km306+830 from the Vinh bypass intersection to Hamlet 14, Nghi Long Commune, and opening a service road connecting this point with the main road to Nghi Long Commune People's Committee.

However, to date, the requested agencies have yet to respond. Serious railway traffic accidents at black spots continue to occur.

Major Nguyen Thanh Binh - Head of the Traffic Police Team, Nghi Loc District Police said that while waiting for superiors to deploy handling measures, the District Police continue to recommend relevant agencies to handle the two black spots as quickly as possible.

At the same time, the unit strengthens information and propaganda work to raise people's awareness and ensure safety when traveling through residential crossings./.

Nhat Tuan

(Nghi Loc Radio)