Fear of traffic accidents at 'Ong Dieu intersection'

Pointing to the scars that were still forming new skin on her two arms and two legs, Ms. Le Thi Anh Lam (Cua Lo Town) still shuddered when recalling the fall from her motorbike not long ago: “That day I came home late from work, and it was raining. I was going from the company in Nam Cam Industrial Park towards Cua Lo Town, near the roundabout where National Highway 46 and Provincial Road 536 intersect (also known as Ong Dieu intersection), when I fell off my motorbike. Luckily, I fell right in front of a coffee shop, so there was some light coming from inside the house and someone came out to help me up.”

Not only Ms. Anh Lam, many workers and laborersNam Cam Industrial Parkonce fell into such a situation. Ms. Xuan Hoang (Nghi Loc) shared more: “The road from this roundabout to Nam Cam Industrial Park is dark, the road is not too wide, while there are many heavy trucks and container trucks, driving very recklessly. Many times small cars have to pull over to the side, wait for all the trucks to leave before daring to continue. Every time I pass here at night, I am very scared.”

“The road at this roundabout is very complicated, the road is wide but there are no lights, no traffic lights so visibility is very limited. On rainy days, strong winds, wearing raincoats limits visibility, cars turn on their headlights, the road is glistening with water, it is very difficult to see the road and avoid obstacles. Therefore, people call this the “death” intersection. Every time I pass here, I have to honk loudly to feel more secure,” said Ms. Khanh Huyen (Cua Lo Town).

It is not difficult to understand the frustration of the people. The roundabout intersection between National Highway 46 and Provincial Road 536 up to Nam Cam Industrial Park has been considered a traffic accident hotspot for many years. With thousands of workers and laborers traveling every day and many heavy trucks passing by, this road section is not equipped with lighting. There are no houses on either side of the road, making this already dark section even more desolate.

This situation has been reported to authorities at all levels many times, especially in the meeting and dialogue between the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee and workers and laborers in 2022. After many times of reflection by workers, lighting was installed in this area. Specifically, provincial road 536 near Nguyen Xi's tomb was installed with lighting, and high-pressure lamps were installed around the roundabout. However, the lights were installed a long time ago but have not been put into use. The "blind" situation of this intersection remains the same.

“The road to Vinh, the road to Cua Lo Port and the road to Cua Lo Town are all brightly lit, but the intersection of Ong Dieu - the place that needs the most lighting - is pitch black. Accidents happening on this road constantly make us feel scared. Workers' lives are already hard, they have no choice but to work overtime, go to work early and come home late, accepting danger to earn more income. I really hope that the agencies, departments and sectors will soon direct a solution to this problem,” said Ms. Anh Lam.

In a recent meeting of trade union officials of the business sector organized by the Provincial Federation of Labor, issues related to traffic infrastructure around the Nam Cam Industrial Park were once again mentioned. Accordingly, graspingthoughts, wishesof workers, many union officials requested that authorities come up with solutions to overcome the shortcomings leading to traffic insecurity, so that workers can feel secure going to work on rainy days and at night, minimizing traffic accidents.