Visuals of the crashed Mercedes-Benz GLC in which former Tata Sons chief Cyrus Mistry and his friend Jehangir Pandole lost their lives have been doing the rounds of social media and TV channels throughout the week. The public reaction to the horrific road accident on the Charoti bridge in Palghar district of Maharashtra came out in a phased manner. Much of the initial outrage was directed at the airbags: why didn’t they extend to save the two rear passengers in such an expensive car? Was something wrong? This response ignored the fact that higher-end cars such as the S-Class Mercedes only have rear-seat frontal airbags. The facility is not more than two years old. The GLC also gets curtain airbags for rear seat passengers to prevent side-impact crashes. Mistry and Pandole lost their lives in the subsequent collision. Then there was the issue of the rear seat belt. Unfortunately they didn’t wear their clothes, and this is an important safety feature.
As more details emerged, public reaction focused on the alleged driving lapse of Dr. Anahita Pandole, trying to overtake a heavy vehicle from the wrong direction at high speed at the wheel (a reliable estimate of which is not available). was) )
However, these are inadequate and even simplistic interpretations of the tragic event. The SUV collided with a dangerously protruding parapet wall on the Charoti bridge on the high-speed road, and this is the part that should really bother us as citizens who do it for the roads we use. (and toll money). While we become discerning customers of cars and expect safer vehicles, why are we not demanding safer roads? The condition of the roads in many parts of the country, especially after the monsoon rains, creates a ruckus of carelessness and danger. But have we become so indifferent to the situation that our inner acceptance of shoddy roads is putting our lives at risk?
The highest number of road accident deaths (about 35%) occur on national highways. The government aims to build highways at a speed of 50 km per day. After all, their quality is being questioned. But let’s consider the heavy stuff we already have in the form of treacherously designed roads. Road safety advocacy group SaveLife Foundation, a non-profit organization, has consistently labeled “deadly” corridors where a high number of accidents and deaths occur as a result of poor road engineering.
Visuals from the wall of the parapet jutting out at the point where the road splits into two separate bridges without warning, which the SUV collided with, show questionable engineering and design. If Dr. Pandole had tried to overtake from the left, the structure could have been in the blind spot, but what about a 3-lane carriageway that turns abruptly and then into a two-lane bridge? dissolves, except in fear of gasping?
Let’s argue for a moment and consider the roads we take for our daily commute. Consider the number of jaywalkers on the roads, and how often safety road-markers disappear to guide drivers or pedestrians. Driving itself is an encounter with chaos, rules that only exist on paper.
In addition, our expectations of safety equipment in cars also need to be lowered. Yes, seat belts and airbags save lives… but only when we brace ourselves. Airbags and seat belts are a system that works together. The idea is that if the vehicle crashes, you have to stop, keep you firmly in your seat and avoid any injuries you can cause if you collide with hard surfaces in the cabin or with co-passengers (and endanger their lives too). have to reduce. An airbag does little good if a passenger is not in the seat when inflated. Seat belts are non-negotiable.
While the death of Cyrus Mistry has drawn attention, the sad truth is that many Indian lives are lost in road accidents. In his recent address at a business conference, Union Road and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said that in all aspects of infrastructure development he oversees, security is the one he missed out on. Statesmanship is required to make that admission. He also promised a notification to make seat belt reminder mandatory for rear car seats. To be sure, many premium cars already have this feature (though these alarms can be silenced without a belt). A follower on Twitter told me that some mass-market cars also had this feature before it was removed from later versions. Implementing officers will now have to be serious to bring about a change in the rule.
India’s influential automotive industry lobby has a record of trying to delay safety mandates on airbags and anti-skid braking systems. The argument has been that there is a need to keep vehicles in India at an affordable price. Moral questions aside, can a rapidly growing market like ours really be hitting the pace in global markets due to the rising cost of standard safety equipment?
Another question arises for customers who have become smart enough to receive a 5-star crash-test rating, although many think that the number of airbags is directly proportional to the strength of their car and hence their safety. But do you always brace yourself when you sit in the back seat of your car? Do you encourage your family to do this?
Alisha Sachdev covers the automotive and mobility sectors for Mint
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