Five injured as car hits 8 bikes in Saigon

A car is damaged after hitting eight motorbikes before crashing into an electric pole in HCMC, August 13, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Dinh Van.

A Camry driven by a woman hit several motorbikes at an intersection in Binh Thanh District at around 7:45 p.m. The car was driving on Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street, from the Thanh Da area to the National Highway 13 direction, when the collision happened around 100 m away from the red light.

The car went on to hit the traffic sign before coming to a stop after hitting an electric pole.

One female victim in the accident was found underneath the badly damaged car along with her motorbike. Dozens of passersby cooperated to lift the car and rescue her.

After the accident, eight motorbikes were seen scattered in the area and at least five people were taken to hospital.

"The sound of vehicles colliding with each other was like fireworks. The injured were everywhere," said Ta Quang Huy, 26, a motorbike taxi driver who witnessed the accident, adding that "the car was going really fast."

Motorbikes are scattered on the street after being hit by a car (pictured) in HCMC, August 13, 2020. Photo by VnExpress/Dinh Van.

The car's driver stayed in the vehicle following the accident and was uninjured, according to witnesses. When a person opened the doors to her car, she stepped out in a panicked state, and was taken away by the police.

A traffic police officer said that after she hit the first motorbike, the woman panicked and stepped on the gas pedal by mistake.

Road accidents are a leading cause of death in Vietnam, killing 17 people every day. There were 6,790 traffic accidents recorded in the first six months, killing 3,242 and injuring 4,939 people.