[drjanakpatel]

Really appreciate the help of all people around accident site, especially aggogswami. Please don't apply anything on open wounds, except antiseptic. Simple pressure with a clean cloth on the bleeding site would help. I had once been witness to an accident on the same road where a cleaner of a bus had his femoral artery cleanly cut. He was bleeding profusely, and by the time 108 would have arrived he would have been dead. I had put all my body weight on the cut with fists closed. Luckily 108 arrived in 15 min and they had artery forceps with them.

We can start a new thread where all doctors on the forum can guide how to provide first aid in such cases.

[fuel_addict]

Hats off to Aaggoswami. You have done a noble deed by helping in this situation. Glad to know there were no casualties in this accident. The impact looks really gruesome. The car seems to have held up well.

Not wearing seat belts is a cardinal sin which the driver would have now realized. The overtaking move seems was ill-planned. I doubt if ABS would have helped since the car was trapped between a truck in front and one that he was overtaking.

From the pictures, I assume this was not a top variant Micra. So no ABS and no airbags. I sincerely hope that ABS/airbags are made mandatory in all cars given the driving conditions and unsafe driving practices in India. A provision whereby the car's ignition is linked to seat belts would also help.

[Durango Dude]

First, Great work Aaggoswami. Second, this is due an overtaking manoeuvre gone all wrong. Don't follow a vehicle while it's overtaking a string of slow moving vehicles on a single lane highway.

[PGNarain]

Congratulations Swami, and hats off to you.

It was great to see you come to the aid of the crash victims and then co-ordinate calling the families concerned, taking care of the victims and calling the ambulance. If that was'nt enough I am amazed and thankful that you still had the presence of mind to document the event and write up such a gripping narrative supplemented with pictures which is an invaluable lesson to all of us.

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

I was witness to this accident ...

... few moments later, I asked the driver ( the young guy was not driving ) to come out with hand signals, but I doubted whether he was able to analyze what I was trying to tell him....

To add to this, since I have personally experienced something similar, it is clear that the persons are suffering from shock and it's aftereffects.

Originally Posted by drjanakpatel

We can start a new thread where all doctors on the forum can guide how to provide first aid in such cases.

+1 to this, though I need to perform a through search if something like this exists, but knowledge on immediate and on-scene basic first aid can be invaluable in saving lives.

The following link lists elementary first aid to be administered in case of shock - First Aid for Shock

[R. Kotwal]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

This is precisely the point I demonstrated to my 18-year old son when I took him on a long drive to Mumbai a couple of years ago.

I told him that highway driving was a different ball game entirely. Unlike in the city where one follows a 'herd mentality' of following the car in front, one needs to allow the vehicle ahead to complete his overtaking manoeuver, see if the coast is clear and only then attempt to overtake the truck.

The Micra guy was a city-lubber with no highway experience, in all likelihood.

Hats off to aagoswami for playing the role of a good samaritan.

@vnabhi- spot on, and thats the lesson that needs to be learnt here. Highway overtaking is an different ball game. I also make it a point to advice my son on high speed maneuvers every time I have the chance. While on the subject, I cannot help but share what little I have observed and learnt about offensive/ defensive driving from mentors both abroad and at home. With special reference to highway speed overtaking-

1. Make it a point to indicate to the following vehicle/vehicles that you intend to overtake the vehicle in front. A turn indicator signal will do. But this indication should be turned on at least 15 secs before you intend to initiate the maneuver

2. Immediately before swerving to the lane to your right for the overtake, glance at the ORVM to see if every thing is clear. [ Please see that the orvm is adjusted properly before hand, and that all blind spots are covered]

3. if already at cruising speed, Change into a lower gear to pack power to the engine for the anticipated acceleration. The overtake should be done earnestly and purposefully and at the highest acceleration possible for the employed gear. No half hearted overtakes. No overtakes when the vehicle being overtook and your vehicle are more or less at the same speeds, as this results in extended time for the overtake, and could be fraught with risk.

4. No overtaking on bends, turns, and when a oncoming vehicle is clearly visible on a two way road. No multiple overtakes when the road stretch ahead is not visible.

5. DO NOT OVERTAKE if your mind hesitates initially! Let the chance go, - you will soon get another chance. Trust your instincts, and know that your instincts are calibrated by a process of complicated calculations and assessments which go on in your brain the split second before you decide whether you're going to make your move or not!

6. If possible, go in for a car that has ABS, the money spent wont ever go waste.

And lastly, believe in what you see of the road and the conditions that confront you. Don't be provoked by any seated with you, or in the car you are following!
Drive safe.

[harit]

Originally Posted by R. Kotwal

@vnabhi- spot on, and thats the lesson that needs to be learnt here. Highway overtaking is an different ball game....
Drive safe.

This post pertains mainly to overtaking maneuvers, but there are more aspects to safe highway driving. Here are some:
Even the rear passengers should wear a seat belt atleast on the highway. More so when travelling in Bolero's, Tavera's, Sumo's, Innov's and all those public carriers
Always drive with a margin so safe that you can take preventive measures for another vehicles mistakes.
Ensure that you have reasonably good tyres.

Cheers harit

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by R. Kotwal

1. Make it a point to indicate to the following vehicle/vehicles that you intend to overtake the vehicle in front. A turn indicator signal will do. But this indication should be turned on at least 15 secs before you intend to initiate the maneuver

2. Immediately before swerving to the lane to your right for the overtake, glance at the ORVM to see if every thing is clear. [ Please see that the orvm is adjusted properly before hand, and that all blind spots are covered]

3. if already at cruising speed, Change into a lower gear to pack power to the engine for the anticipated acceleration. The overtake should be done earnestly and purposefully and at the highest acceleration possible for the employed gear. No half hearted overtakes. No overtakes when the vehicle being overtook and your vehicle are more or less at the same speeds, as this results in extended time for the overtake, and could be fraught with risk.

4. No overtaking on bends, turns, and when a oncoming vehicle is clearly visible on a two way road. No multiple overtakes when the road stretch ahead is not visible.

5. DO NOT OVERTAKE if your mind hesitates initially! Let the chance go, - you will soon get another chance. Trust your instincts, and know that your instincts are calibrated by a process of complicated calculations and assessments which go on in your brain the split second before you decide whether you're going to make your move or not!

6. If possible, go in for a car that has ABS, the money spent wont ever go waste.

And lastly, believe in what you see of the road and the conditions that confront you. Don't be provoked by any seated with you, or in the car you are following!
Drive safe.

I agree with your views in toto. Very well said, buddy!
I recently got the opportunity to correct my nephew on item # 3 of your post. He was hesitating to drop gear and rev hard, but I told him that the lives of the passengers are more important than a momentary increase in fuel consumption.

[mgh]

Would like to add
If you are being overtaken, slow down, at least take your foot off the accelerator.When someone is overtaking you, he is faster than you. If he cuts back in too sharply (enough morons like that on the roads), he is slower than you. As you are already slowing down, it gives you a better chance of avoiding him.

[rohi_rao]

@aaggoswami
Hats off! No words to describe your gesture mate.

Originally Posted by antorquetik

Kudos to you @aaggoswami. I hope the injured people are fine now.
I had a question , if someone could throw some light on this.If the driver was not wearing seat belt, the Air bag should not have deployed.Does the airbag not deploy only if the occupants are wearing the seat belts?

Slight
I almost had the same question because that (airbags won't deploy if seat belts not worn) was what was told to my sister when her Swift airbags did not deploy when hit by a bus. I just now checked the Swift manual online. It only talks about how the pretensioners will help in better protection. Its time this misconception about the link between seat-belts and air bags is cleared. I think the airbags did not deploy in my sisters case because the degree of impact did not warrant it. The Swift manual also says that the front air bags do not activate for side impacts and roll overs

[vnabhi]

Originally Posted by mgh

Would like to add
If you are being overtaken, slow down, at least take your foot off the accelerator.When someone is overtaking you, he is faster than you. If he cuts back in too sharply (enough morons like that on the roads), he is slower than you. As you are already slowing down, it gives you a better chance of avoiding him.

Point to be noted. Another important point (which most nitwits ignore) is if the vehicle in front of you is overtaking a bus or lorry, please do not rush and occupy his earlier position behind the bus---there is a chance he may abandon the move and return to his earlier spot. It gets extremely risky if that spot is already occupied by you.

Originally Posted by rohi_rao

@aaggoswami

It only talks about how the pretensioners will help in better protection. Its time this misconception about the link between seat-belts and air bags is cleared. I think the airbags did not deploy in my sisters case because the degree of impact did not warrant it. The Swift manual also says that the front air bags do not activate for side impacts and roll overs

My friend's Sonata Embera went over a divider when the driver veered to avoid a sudden move by a M 800 in front of him. It went over it and came to a halt in the middle of the opposite road---luckily it was at midnight and traffic was sparse.

The airbags did deploy though the driver was not wearing the seat-belt. But during repairs, they replaced all 4 seat belts too as Hyundai refused to buy the story that the seatbelt was not worn.

[shk_24]

It is difficult to imagine someone not seeing the truck even with a Wagon R in front on a straight road.
In my opinion it may also be lack of judgement of the car itself. For example with four people sitting and luggage loaded in the boot the car will be slower and may even take more distance to break. So an overtaking maneuver should be decided keeping that in mind as well

[radek]

When I travel from Pune to Mumbai for company work, my company provides a hired car. I always make it a point to wear seat belt even though I am sitting at rear. But the problems is, in many tourist car there is no latch/buckle to lock the seat belt. They normally put the latch behind in the boot. When I question them about this, they say it causes the inconvinience to the people sitting in rear seat.

I know a case when rear passenger's head got hit to the roof of the car causing fracture to the skull. The person died on the spot. So it is very important to wear seat belt while sitting at rear.

[unk9ja]

Great work Aaggoswami, nice of you trying to help.
Looking at the car, as mayank has pointed out, the crumple zones have really worked well in favour of the occupants safety. Only the sanity of the occupants shall prevail in case of such accidents.

[Vijayraj1890]

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Attachment 890885

What I observed :

• Not wearing seatbelt was wrong move. I could surely say that even driver was not wearing seatbelts. When I helped him come out, he was belted.

Attachment 890886
Attachment 890887

You are a true Responsible citizen we should all learn from. Great work.

I have 4 queries:-

1. Did the driver have any damage to his face as a result of the airbag hitting him without the seatbelt?.

2. Did the Micra have airbags on both sides and one didn't deploy?

3. In your opinion, could ABS have made any difference in the outcome of this crash. With thee other two trucks being where they were in your diagram?

4. What should a person do when faced with a situation the Micra was in, because lets face it, even if you're a careful driver, one can end up in such a situation because of sheer bad luck, or because of some other careless goof like the white swift you guys encountered when the Ambulance arrived?. Experts??

Originally Posted by antorquetik

Kudos to you @aaggoswami. I hope the injured people are fine now.
I had a question , if someone could throw some light on this.If the driver was not wearing seat belt, the Air bag should not have deployed.Does the airbag not deploy only if the occupants are wearing the seat belts?

Contrary to popular belief, in many cars the Airbags DID deploy (i'm not sure if they still do) and if the passengers were not wearing their seat belts they suffered quite bad Facial and Spinal Injuries. It is well known that an Airbag can be lethal if not clubbed with a 3 point seat belt. Have a look at this report (Pitt Chronicle: Airbag and No Seatbelt a Bad Combination in Accidents). Though the mechanism might have changed now as VNABHI says that Hyundai didn't buy the not wearing the seat belts story.

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[zimbly]

Kudos aaggoswami, well done.
This accident highlights the need to be patient and drive safely. i do have a query with regard to the Airbags. From the pics i cannot see the deployed airbag on the driver side. When you were at the site of the accident did you see the deployed Airbag.