The following is a DTiNews list of the worst traffic accidents of this year. There were nearly 10,000 fatalities in 2013, a number that is larger than last year.
Passenger buses collide
This accident occurred at around 12:40am on March 8, in Khanh Hoa Province. Two passenger buses had a head-on collision, leaving 9 people dead at the site, while two more died on the way to hospital and another. One other died when at the hospital. Over 50 were injured.
Rescue workers had to use cranes and other heavy-duty machinery to cut through the metal of the buses. The results of the investigation showed that both buses were speeding and one was in the wrong lane. Because the driver died, there were no prosecutions.
Buses collide
Bus crashes into a cliff
On June 7, a passenger bus carrying primary school students and teachers crashed into a mountain cliff in Khanh Hoa Province and killed 7 people and injured 23. Khanh Hoa Police said even though the bus was running on a narrow street with many turns, the driver did not slow down and lost the brake control.
Three teachers and relatives, victims of accident
Bus plunges into ravine
On October 25, a bus carrying pilgrims to Bao Ha Temple in Lao Cai Province lost the break control and plunged off the highway, into a 30 metre ravine. The fall killed 7 and injured 29 people. The driver was not familiar with the route and was charged with driving the bus on a difficult road at night. The accident happened when the bus was going down a slope.
Bus found in ravine
Truck hits motorbikes
A truck that carrying frozen food had a run-on collision with three motorbikes in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province. Five people died immediately, and one one died on the way to hospital. It was reported that three of the victims were from one family. The truck driver was jailed to four months.
Passenger ship sunk
A passenger ship sunk in Can Gio District, HCMC, while carrying 30 wedding guests returning home. Nine people died after accident. According to police, there were various violations in this case. The captain apparently did not have a license and the ship was in banned waters.
Rescuing the sunken ship
Car swept away
A car was swept away by floods while travelling near Khe Ang Dam, Nghe An Province. The car was carrying seven people at the time, but two manged to escape. The driver, one of the officials from the provincial department of transport, ignored the warning signs and went on a dangerous road.
Car found with victims' bodies
Nguyen Hoang Hiep, Vice Chairman of the National Committee for Traffic Safety, said that such accidents not only took away many lives, but also cause serious damage to the state credibility.
"The blame lies mostly with the drivers, but the lax management of authorities is also another significant reason. Transport businesses and trucks will be put under stricter scrutiny next year." he said.
