The front of the passenger bus was severely damaged after the crash. — Photo baochinhphu.vn

ĐÀ NẴNG — Drug use, driver fatigue and widespread failure to wear seat belts were key factors in the deadly expressway crash that killed four people in central Việt Nam on Tuesday, police said on Wednesday.

The incident occurred when a 16-seat passenger bus slammed into a tractor-trailer on the Đà Nẵng–Quảng Ngãi Expressway on the outskirts of Đà Nẵng.

Investigators found the bus driver, a 39-year-old man from Ninh Bình, had been driving continuously for around five hours, exceeding legal limits, after travelling overnight from Lâm Đồng through Khánh Hòa before reaching the expressway. None of the passengers or the driver was wearing a seat belt.  

When the collision occurred, two passengers seated in the rear were flung forward by the force of the impact, suffering fatal injuries to the head, face and neck. A third rear-seat passenger later died of multiple traumatic injuries. The tractor-trailer driver, a 43-year-old man from Hải Phòng, tested positive for narcotics during a rapid drug screening, authorities added.

Three passengers were killed instantly at the scene, while ten others were injured. One of the most seriously hurt, a 51-year-old woman, later died in the hospital, bringing the death toll to four. 

The Traffic Police Department, under the Ministry of Public Security, said preliminary conclusions point to the bus driver’s failure to maintain a safe speed and distance, combined with the absence of seat belt use, as direct contributors to the crash severity. 

Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has ordered a full criminal investigation and called for strict punishment of any individuals, vehicle owners, or transport operators found to have violated safety regulations. He also directed authorities to strengthen safety controls on expressways, particularly at night, and to review traffic organisation on high-speed routes. — VNS