Unfortunately, the reiteration of the name Quang Ngai occurs in a tiresome way simply because it has topped the black list of provinces where there are most traffic accidents recorded.

As the statistic says, in the first half of the year, there have been 157 traffic accidents aross the province, killing 52 and wounding 25 others. The figure shows traffic accidents have been on the rise in both the number of cases and the death toll.

Recently, Quang Ngai people are shocked by the traffic story in the road section from Doc Soi to Dung Quat Port. As the story goes, every day speeding convoys of juggernauts overloaded with large-sized stones in bulk burn rubber to and fro this section, defying the traffic law in speed-limit and diregarding lives of hundreds of people living alongside the road and passers-by. These large and heavy vehicles are trasporting stones for the construction of the breakwater and some port items in Dung Quat Economic Zone (DQEZ).

The story might not either draw attention of the media, local and nationwide, or become a problem of people’s concern,  should there not be a serious and distressing accident caused by a racing stone-transporting truck on July 1, 2007, killing three on the spot, wounding some others, not to mention the property damaged. Several days later, three other killing accidents happened.

These poignant accidents have made people and competent bodies think twice about the traffic in this section, and the traffic story there has become a media sensation and a burning issue of public concern.

Despite heartbreaking accidents, crashes and falling stones, as well as drastic measures taken by local authorities, money thirsting drivers defiantly keep racing on the way. Asked why driving so fast, some frankly reply they are in a hurry just because they want to make as much money as possiple.

At the moment, police and the traffic warden forces have been reinforceably mobilized in place to tighten the regulation. However, money-mad drivers still manage to break the speed limit in the absence of the traffic officers.

Hopefully, the number 11 accidents and 14 killed since the beginning of the year in DQEZ alone shall awake the foresaid drivers from their selfish dreams. 

It is estimated that there are now about 5,000 vehicles in operation for the construction of Dung Quat Refinery; and at the peak hour more than 2,500 moving in the section from Doc Soi to Dung Quat Port alone.

And killing threats from madly speeding vehicles overburdened with loose over-sized stones are still glooming over people living alongside the road and any accidental passer-by.

Tri, Nguyen Minh