A family in northern Vietnam has shared dramatic footage showing an 18-month-old boy wandering onto a busy highway and standing directly in front of a moving truck, in an incident that ended without injury but left relatives shaken.

Ky Duyen, born in 1989 and living in Thuong Coc Commune, Phu Tho Province, confirmed that the child in the footage is her youngest son. The near-tragic incident occurred at around 6:30pm on June 2 and was recorded by the family's security camera.

The family's home is located next to National Highway 12B, a route known for heavy traffic and high vehicle speeds.

"My youngest son is 18 months old. Because we have small children, we usually keep the house door closed and the gate locked to prevent him from running outside. But that day, a moment of carelessness led to a very dangerous situation," Duyen said.

Truck driver brakes just in time

At the time of the incident, Duyen and her husband were away from home. Their youngest son was being looked after by his 12-year-old brother and grandmother.

While the grandmother was occupied with other tasks, the toddler wandered off in search of her. His older brother assumed their grandmother was watching him and momentarily let his guard down.

The boy stood near the gate for a few moments before making his way onto the highway.

He reached the middle of the road just as a truck approached. Fortunately, the driver managed to brake in time, preventing what could have been a devastating accident.

A nearby resident who witnessed the scene immediately stopped and rushed over to carry the child back home.

"I wasn't there to see it happen. When I returned, family members and neighbors told me about it, so I checked the security footage. Watching my son run onto the road left me stunned," Duyen said.

"We were incredibly fortunate that the truck driver reacted quickly. Thankfully, my son was unharmed and our family has been given a second chance."

A painful lesson for the family

The incident has served as a major wake-up call for the family regarding child supervision and home safety.

Following the scare, the family installed an additional safety barrier in front of the gate and reminded all household members about the importance of keeping it securely locked to prevent the toddler from opening it and running outside again.

The footage has also sparked discussion online about the risks facing young children living near busy roads and the importance of constant supervision.

Thanh Minh