Driver lays out blanket to sleep on expressway due to 'fatigue'

By Ho Dinh October 6, 2024 | 07:19 pm PT

A driver is found sleeping on Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet Expressway in Binh Thuan Province early on Oct. 5, 2024. Photo by police

A 58-year-old driver has been fined after stopping his van and sleeping on an emergency stopping area of the Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet Expressway in the central province of Binh Thuan.

Traffic police issued the fine on Sunday after finding the driver sleeping on a blanket in front of his parked vehicle on the expressway the previous morning.

The driver explained that he was driving the empty vehicle from Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Yen Province that borders Binh Thuan to return it to its owner. He claimed to have stopped due to fatigue.

In addition to the illegal stop, the driver was fined for operating the vehicle without a license, resulting in a total penalty of VND22 million (US$890). The vehicle's owner was fined VND5 million for leaving it to an unlicensed driver.

The Vinh Hao - Phan Thiet Expressway, operational since May 2023, spans over 100 km and is part of the north-south expressway connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Nha Trang.

Currently, the route has only one temporary rest stop, insufficient for drivers' needs.

The expressway lacks an emergency lane, with stopping areas spaced 4-5 km apart, and a maximum speed limit of 90 kph, contributing to frequent accidents involving stalled vehicles and rear-end collisions.