According to VietNamNet reporters on the scene, by 3 p.m., the congestion was most severe at the toll station located at Km94 in Song Nhan commune, Cam My district, Dong Nai province. Vehicles moved slowly, creating a long line that extended for nearly 10 kilometers.

Frustrated by the gridlock, some drivers risked safety by using the emergency lane to bypass the traffic.

The surge in traffic was attributed to the large number of people returning to the city after the long holiday, with many heading back to work after the National Day break.

In addition, the bottleneck at the two-lane toll station at Km94 exacerbated the situation, creating a "choke point" that further slowed the flow of traffic.

Minh Hung, a resident of Go Vap district in Ho Chi Minh City, shared that his family had decided to return home earlier than planned to avoid the expected traffic congestion. "I thought returning earlier would help us avoid the jam, but we still got stuck at the toll station," Hung remarked.

The management unit of the Phan Thiet-Dau Giay Expressway reported that issues such as insufficient account balances and faulty toll cards contributed to the delays at the toll station, further compounding the traffic problems.

To alleviate the situation, the expressway management dispatched personnel to Km63 to regulate traffic and direct vehicles toward the exit onto National Route 1.