An article on accidents in India - Part 5 (Final Part)
The article is a very general one. It has been done to make people aware of the dangers one faces on the roads and safety measures they can take to stay safe. Fair warning! This is a very long write-up and has been split into multiple parts.?The videos are at times gruesome. Viewer discretion is highly advised. If you are someone who cannot stand the sight of blood or see accidents take place, or if you are a BP or heart patient, please skip the videos.?Those that like the article please share it with others and spread the message.
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Do not tailgate other vehicles. Tailgating, also called piggybacking, is the act of going closely behind another vehicle. If the vehicle in front stops suddenly then the person tailgating the vehicle collides into it, causing an accident. When going behind vehicles leave sufficient space for you to react in case the one in front stops suddenly. Especially, do not go behind autos (nothing personal against autowalas). They have a tendency to pull off all sorts of gymnastic stunts on the road, from suddenly changing lanes to taking a u-turn without any warning, or even coming to a complete standstill. Also note that it is safer to go slightly to the side of vehicles than directly behind, even if you are at a safe distance behind them. This gives the person behind more time and space to stop if the one in front stops suddenly. Another thing that I have noticed is that people come from behind you at high speed, overtake you as though it were a life and death situation, only to come to a complete stop to the side of the road a few metres later. Else, they overtake you, cut across you and take a turn on the opposite side of the road. In case you even touch these morons, they will be sent off balance and end up in an accident, for which they will try to pin the blame on you. Keep track not just of the vehicle in front but of the road in general. It will give you more time to react and can save your life.
Use of cellphones while driving is also rampant. This is also a major problem with pedestrians, who are more interested in their cellphones than where they are going and do not pay heed to even horns from vehicles on the road. With the advent of hands-free options for picking calls this problem has multiplied with vehicle users talking endlessly while driving, paying scant attention to the road. Note that drivers using cellphones are more likely to have accidents, up to four times more to be precise. Deaths from usage of cellphones in India is almost equal to deaths resulting from DUI. In one way using cellphones while driving can be equated to DUI (Driving Under the Influence (of Cellphones)). If you have to take calls while driving pull over to the side of the road to do so. When using an option like Google Maps in cars, have the app give you audio directions rather than looking at the screen to figure out which way to go. If you are a biker, then stop for a few seconds to the side of the road to find out which way to go. In case you have a pillion or another person in the car leave the navigation to that person and concentrate only on driving. Those in the pillion do not keep looking into your cellphones but look at where the driver is going. You could avert an accident this way. Your road awareness could end up saving someone else life. And keeping objects like cellphones inside could minimize the prospect of others targeting you for these valuables. Vehicles like the TVS Ntorq have options to divert calls if the person is driving. A message is also sent to the caller telling him that the person is riding and will get in touch later. Recently, this feature has been added to the TVS Jupiter too. Hope all vehicle manufacturers can avail of this option to make roads safer for everyone.
Pedestrians, kindly do not look into your phones while walking across the road at signals, across zebra crossings or railway lines. It is hard enough for drivers without having to deal with “zombie” pedestrians. Also note that it is advisable to keep items like the cellphone and purse in the hand that is facing away from the road to keep pickpockets from easily snatching and making off with these items.
Do not pull stunts such as riding with one arm, balancing something on the tank while riding, riding with both arms off the handlebars so that you can grab the helmet and wear it in time for the officer at the signal to not catch and fine you. These are not worth your life. Even stuntmen do not get stunts right the first time every time. And they have far more experience at these things than us ordinary people. There is a long history of stuntmen who have been badly hurt or even fatally hurt during the filming of stunts. You do not need to add your name to this roster.
Overcrowding on vehicles is a major problem in India, arising from the sheer number of people in the country. As per law only two people are allowed on a two wheeler. But you find whole families going together on one bike (https://www.policybazaar.com/motor-insurance/two-wheeler-insurance/articles/traffic-rules-in-india-that-every-two-wheeler-rider-should-know/#:~:text=As%20per%20the%20road%20safety%20laws%20in%20India%2C%20only%20two,driver%20and%20the%20pillion%20rider). There was a case of an auto in UP which was caught with 27 people on board, as against the regulation number of 5. Buses (and trains) are dangerously overcrowded, sometimes leading to tipping over of the vehicles. Riding behind or to the side of such vehicles is equally dangerous. One never knows when a person is going to alight, or when the bus may careen to one side owing to the load it is carrying. The reasons may be varied from lack of adequate buses, passenger mentality on buses, disruption of other services leading to overcrowding on one mode of transport. Three of the five South Indian states are on top of the list of states where a major number of people die every day due to accidents involving buses. About 85% of those killed in these accidents are the passengers themselves.
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Overcrowded auto. Source: YouTube
Pedestrians running across the road at signals or at undesignated crossing spots are a major hazard to drivers. Sometimes people still go across the road even when a foot overbridge or subway is available for this. The disrepair in which subways and overbridges are in could be a major factor for people to consider crossing the road instead. People also tend to go through medians using spaces that have sometimes been created specifically for this (by anti-social elements). Or they just climb across the medians to avoid going around and doubling back to their destinations. Even at zebra crossings care is not taken to check for vehicles coming down the road, pedestrians being busy on their cellphones instead. And vehicles too do not care to stop at Red signals or slow down when they see the Amber, almost mowing down pedestrians. Stray animals seem to have picked up on how to navigate these signals better than even the humans have.
Source: YouTube
While railway gates are a rarity in bigger cities, they still do exist. Accidents involving trains at railway crossings or on the tracks usually comprise only people or two wheelers unless it is an unmanned level crossing. Two wheelers manage to get past the gate, from the sides of the gate or under the gate. Accidents occur when people or vehicles cross the track without first checking whether it is safe to cross. Trains can weigh anywhere between 300 to 6000 tons. This depends on the type of train, the number of coaches, weight of the people and/or goods inside, and a few other factors like the type of engine being used. Even the slightest knock by one of these behemoths could be fatal. If you are hit by a moving train, however slow the train may be moving the blow will be terrible. Please be aware of the weights and forces involved. One is not talking about just weight here. We are discussing the power of the blow behind something so huge hitting you at say 60 or more kmph. Like Long John Silver says in Treasure Island “Them that die will be the lucky ones!” Even smaller vehicles like cars, jeeps and vans will be flung off with ease several metres away.
When driving in rain please show extra caution. Go slow, don’t take sudden turns, and never try to get into a puddle without knowing its depth. Go to the sides of any puddles. Also note that speed breakers, man holes, pot holes and the like will be hidden by the water. Try to follow a vehicle in front of you so that you follow a safer route. Use your headlights if it is dark. Do not go too near any vehicle. Brakes work less in wet conditions. Be aware of this. If possible, try not to drive in a downpour, especially if you are a two wheeler driver.
This is something one of my friends brought to my attention. Drivers tend to flash their lights from behind to ask someone to stop. I have sometimes seen them flashing lights to ask for right of way. Whatever be the reason please note that flashing lights or “dazzling” is a criminal offence. Also, vehicles are supposed to have a sticker or darken the centre portion of their headlights to make it easier for those coming from the opposite side. Using high beams is also not allowed within city limits as it inconveniences those who come from the opposite side, not to mention makes the drivers unaware of people a bit farther away from them in their own lane.
Drive well! Be safe!