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At around 11:20 p.m. Nguyen Manh Ha, 45, was driving a tractor-trailer from Son La to Hanoi when he slammed into the house of Pham Manh Cuong, 40, in Yen Chau District.
There were seven people inside the house at the time, and one of them died shortly afterwards.
Of the other six, five were critically injured with one sustaining life-threatening injuries.
It was a scene of devastation. The vehicle brought down several tree branches, collapsed the house wall and there was debris and blood stains on the road and house floor.
Authorities in the local Tu Nang Commune said the accident took place on a straight, flat road, but it had just stopped raining and it was slippery.
The police said Ha was not driving in the correct lane.
After a quick test they found he had an alcohol level of 0.5 mg per liter of breath.
He has been held for further investigation.
In Vietnam, the legal alcohol content limit for drivers is zero, effectively making it illegal to drive after consuming any amount of alcohol.
Anyone found with alcohol level of below 50 mg/100 ml of blood or 0.25 mg/liter of breath will be fined VND2-3 million and have their driving license suspended for 10-12 months.
In Thailand, the Philippines, and the maximum legal blood alcohol content (BAC) limit for car drivers is 0.05%, meaning that there is 0.05g of alcohol for every 100 ml of blood, marginally more lenient than Vietnam's.
In Malaysia and Singapore, the BAC limit is even higher, at 0.08%.
Meanwhile in the U.S., for drivers 21 years or older, driving with a BAC level of 0.08% or higher is illegal. For drivers under 21 years old, the legal limit is lower, with state limits ranging from zero to 0.02.
