The way accidents are reported in media

[sreenivass]

Guys,

as we keep talking about many more accidents day by day one thing keeps nagging me. I feel the media is doing a bad job in the way accidents are reported.

As any other news item facts are not taken in to account for catchy headlines resulting in creating wrong impressions. This venting is in no way meant to defend rash drivers. I'll take one reported accident that reads like "Future engineers life cut short by rash truck driver"/ "Future engineer mowed down by speeding truck".

I thought of writing the same thing to some news papers, hopefully will do so in future.

As we are aware many accidents involving two wheelers, auto rickshaws are many times caused by traffic indiscipline or lack of traffic sense on the vicitms side too.

Some examples

• suddenly stopping/ slowing down after overtaking from left
• coming infront of a bigger vehcle giving very little time for it to manouver
• trying right turns across main stream traffic
• passing from the left of a vehicle turning left
• U-turn from middle or left lane

I am sure there are many more..

Dont you guys think media should report facts after collecting all the facts instead of trying to make catchy headlines and just get the incomplete news across.
A detail of the incident can help cause awareness in public as to what caused the accident.

What do you guys think ????

[Boom Shiva]

Media is here to sell papers and boost TRPs. Facts are just irritating things that get in the way.

[sreenivass]

Originally Posted by Boom Shiva

Media is here to sell papers and boost TRPs. Facts are just irritating things that get in the way.

I am certain you are being sarcastic. Let them be only businesses without special privileges for being media folks.

[kutlee]

Sreenivas,
Your intentions are quite good. May be we can enlighten the educated class. But what about common class. I strongly feel there should be stricter law enforcement mechanism. Otherwise we don't go anywhere.
There should be thorough investigation on an accident (rather than pay something and settle it kind off!), i feel its quite easy to do, just we need the will to do so, and make a manslaughter case!! job done..
There had been so much of arguments and counter arguments on the road traffic sense over the years. Has it been getting better. Infact its getting worse. So where do we go wrong? I think being purely democratic (without maturity) and growing fast, will make under the table settlements quite easy. Can we make a difference?

PS : No offence meant anywhere!

[satish_appasani]

Always they claim bigger vehicles being at the wrong side. Did you ever read in newspapers that a two wheeler was at wrong?

[ajitkommini]

One of the ironies in India is that, the average traffic constable has probably never even driven a car (let alone owning one). So it's impossible for him to empathise with a driver even when it's the pedestrian's fault. This is not limited to the traffic cops alone. Another case is at airports - the average immigration / customs official has never travelled abroad - hence a lot of unwarranted harrassment.

[sreenivass]

Originally Posted by kutlee

Sreenivas,
Your intentions are quite good. May be we can enlighten the educated class. But what about common class. I strongly feel there should be stricter law enforcement mechanism. Otherwise we don't go anywhere.
There should be thorough investigation on an accident (rather than pay something and settle it kind off!), i feel its quite easy to do, just we need the will to do so, and make a manslaughter case!! job done..
There had been so much of arguments and counter arguments on the road traffic sense over the years. Has it been getting better. Infact its getting worse. So where do we go wrong? I think being purely democratic (without maturity) and growing fast, will make under the table settlements quite easy. Can we make a difference?

PS : No offence meant anywhere!

News paper is definitely the medium that has reach in common class and precisely the reason I thought media should play a role here. I agree with you in the need for a better law enforcement, I was hoping its easier to change the media and common man through media than the law enforcement folks (am I being pessimistic or realistic ?????).

One of the international polls seems to have put us in flawed democracy category, I am happy they consider us to be democracy not anarchy. Part of the credit goes to politicians.

[finneyp]

Yes, In our Country, the bigger vehicle is always at fault!We need to live with this bitter fact!And thatz why when I am driving in City, Town etc., I use my lovely Brakes lavishly!

[scorp 1]

Slightly off-topic news.

Another life lost in a collission at Delhi-Noida-Direct Expressway :

One killed in collision on Delhi expressway : HindustanTimes.com

The 407 was on the wrong side. Esteem hit it head-on. Driver of the car was burnt to death. Driver of 407 managed to escape. What can be done in cases like these? Media reported the accident the right way, but sadly didn't highlight the case enough (the deceased was a taxi driver - had it been a big shot, the story would have got utmost importance).
And shouldn't the DND company be sued for letting the vehicle to be on the wrong side?
Our lives are held to ransom constantly, no matter how well we drive.

[sandhurs1]

Originally Posted by finneyp

Yes, In our Country, the bigger vehicle is always at fault!We need to live with this bitter fact!And thatz why when I am driving in City, Town etc., I use my lovely Brakes lavishly!

Press Trust of India

Sunday, April 27, 2008 (New Delhi)

In an accident where both the vehicle are at fault, the liability to compensate lies more with the bigger one, an Accident Claims Tribunal has ruled.

In case of a collision of a car and motorcycle both of which had faulted, ''blameworthiness'' should be made out as per the horsepower of vehicle, Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) Judge AS Jayachandra held.

So buddy Indian Law says, plying vehicle is potentially hazardous activity to road users/animals. Law has been framed to keep pedestrians/animals safe even if they break traffic law/move unsafely on road.