[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by msdivy

Here is the picture of SX4. Hardly any damage to the door.

Originally Posted by one-77

Side airbags would only have offered extra protection.

In principle, I agree that side airbags might have helped. But in this case, even if his car were equipped, its possible he'd have still fitted the 'running board' type of accessory (as seen in the picture), which are known to interfere with the airbag triggering.

I think in addition to the government mandating better safety features (airbags/ABS), we need enforcement to ensure that people buckle up and don't fit accessories that interfere with airbags.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by prakhar1998

No amount of education can change them. At the end of the day, isn't saving lives our utmost objective.

The most easily achievable and the most widespread effect would be of fear among people.

At the end of the day, the act becomes a habit. Even in highly developed nations, its the law after-all that is keeping everything in order in a civilised manner. Have huge amounts of fine, and large jail periods for majority of offences, but increase all this gradually. This will install a sense in people, gradually. In places like Europe, fines are so high, people don't dare to break laws.

I don't know where you picked up that myth. Most Western countries will tell you that you can change very little by "fear". When seat belts were introduced in Europe it came with years long education and promotional campaigns. Continuing till date! Same for drink/driving. Yes, there are fines (but you don't get thrown in jail for driving without seat belts or even driving drunk!). But although the amount might seem high, for Europeans they are not really.

The normal fine/penalty for not wearing your seatbelt in the UK is UKP60. To put that in context, if you take your wife for a nice lunch you are likely to be spending more!

Most would agree that you would need to do both, introduce legislation and also a certain degree of enforcement (e.g. fines). But without a lot and continuous campaign to hammer home the reasons and benefits anything like this you want to change in society is likely to fail. To date campaigns for wearing seat belts and drink driving continue and Europe has been at that for over 20 years!

Jeroen

[graaja]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Most would agree that you would need to do both, introduce legislation and also a certain degree of enforcement (e.g. fines). But without a lot and continuous campaign to hammer home the reasons and benefits anything like this you want to change in society is likely to fail. To date campaigns for wearing seat belts and drink driving continue and Europe has been at that for over 20 years!

Jeroen

+1. I totally agree with Jeroen. We need both legislation and campaign. Only legislation would not help as our RTOs do not have the man power or infrastructure to enforce the law. Only campaign would not help as there are people who themselves do not value their lives.

I have seen taxi drivers who do not wear seat belt, but while approaching a signal, just pull the seatbelt and insert it below their bottoms Another taxi driver who I use regularly, belts up when I travel in his car, but all other times does not do so, which he has confessed to me. For these type of people, education and campaign are necessary.

In my family, I have my BIL who would not wear a seatbelt, even though he knows the safety a seatbelt offers. He says he understands the value of a seatbelt, but wearing a seatbelt makes him uncomfortable. For such type of people, a severe legislation with heavy fines are required. If he were to pay a heavy fine for a couple of times, he would probably change.

[lapis_lazuli]

Did we ever have a TV or Ad campaign featuring Salman Khan, Akshay, Shahrukh, The Big B, the Kapoors, the 5 kilo arm and the clan, or whatever, or, maybe even the heavily made-up, pretty ladies, asking people to wear seat belts and follow traffic rules?

They vouch for snake oil, deos, cola, hair-color and contraceptives for pleasure, then why not road safety? Vidya Balan has even asked people, especially womenfolk, to p** and s*** indoors but nothing related to road safety, ever, IIRC!

Maybe the ad campaign costs may be absorbed in the car basic cost itself!

There should be warnings, disclaimers or advisories for each car ad or a thriller scene in movies: WEAR SEATBELT or ALWAYS WEAR HELMET, or in crazy car chase sequences " DO NOT BREAK TRAFFIC RULES" etc. etc. like we have SMOKING KILLS or DRINKING FRIES YOR LIVER, overlaid on relevant scenes, where the same hero drinks, smokes or does whatever...! I have watched quite a few movies where the hero was not wearing a seatbelt!

[saket77]

Originally Posted by lapis_lazuli

I have watched quite a few movies where the hero was not wearing a seatbelt!

I just hope that with the kind of film crazy people we have, at least in one movie the hero wears seatbelt and the practice spreads like a wildfire.

[puchoo]

We need heavy fines at any rate , whether or not they make a major difference is a little besides the point , at the levels at they are right now they might as well not be there.

I have no arguments against a campaign , provided they get the message across in a strong non subtle manner - they have to be hard hitting , they have to drive the point home and if they are shocking so be it.

In that regard some of the safety campaigns coming out of countries like the UK and the US , brief but strong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8QxZJZfU5Q

[srishiva]

I agree with hard hitting ads. We need them the most. Show something gruesome and it will atleast change one person in a family which will make it easier.

Rahul Dravid is featured in helmet and seatbelt ads in Bengaluru everywhere. The problem however is acute. There is a ad under Agara flyover where a photo of a bike rider is shown with a helmet on his lap with a X mark saying, wear your helmet. The guy is also talking on mobile with the left hand ! I am surprised that we dont have many accidents owing to talking on mobile (maybe because of the low speeds).

1,40,000 people dying in road accidents points to the seriousness of enforcing rules.

[Sheel]

Originally Posted by amitk26

I think poor design of SX4 also had a role to play.

You still think so...? And what poor design are you talking about?

Originally Posted by msdivy

Here is the picture of SX4. Hardly any damage to the door. Unlikely that the door handle would protruded that much to cause injury.

Seems more like it.

[saket77]

Originally Posted by Sheel

You still think so...? And what poor design are you talking about?

The SX4 is one of the best built & safest sedans in its segment that one can find. In fact, it outscores many European cars in safety tests in its International avatar.

[shankar.balan]

Sad that Mr Munde passed on in this manner.

Apparently (as per the TOI) had he been wearing a seatbelt he would not have sustained the injuries that he did and may indeed still be alive today...

[saket77]

The Govt. is looking to reform the Motor Vehicle Act. It is a good thing in itself but feels sad to know that this step is taken when a minister loses his life. With due respected to Mr. Munde, I would like to add that hundreds of people are dying every week in the country in road traffic accidents, but no action was taken until today.
Anyway, better late than never.

http://aajtak.intoday.in/story/gover...-1-766737.html

Also, jumping a red signal 3 times can now result on cancellation of your driving licence.
.

[ghodlur]

Its sad that a national leader dies in a car accident and the death is attributed to the carelessness of the leader himself who didnt appy the basic rules.

However having said that and looking at the minimal damages to the SX4 and the Indica (as seen in papers & media) the impact of the crash want much enough to kill a person seating inside. Also the Indica crashed into the side where the leader was seated which means the person should have been thrown inside the car more towards the rear seat rather than towards front for the spine to snap and damage the liver.

We know and have seen many an accidents where the impact has been more damaging and people coming out of it with injuries but still surviving. Somehow this whole crash thing is fishy IMO. The fact that the leader was diabetic & hyper tension patient had to do with the instant death, Can it be possible?

[normally_crazy]

Nothing is going to happen. There will be a hoo-haa and some rules will be made compulsory. The cops MIGHT randomly check during nakabandis and in a month things will be back where they are. Nothing will improve unless....

WE - the people decide to discipline ourselves and behave like humans when driving.

And that, we know, will never happen.

[sourabhzen]

Originally Posted by amitk26

Munde died of broken spinal chord and ruptured liver as per postmortom report.

I think poor design of SX4 also had a role to play.

I had a similar accident 2 years back while travelling in a Logan taxi from
Bangalore Airport to home at the Koramangala 80 Feet and 100 Feet road junction.

A loaded Water Tanker ( Tata 709) hit the rear compartment at high speed. Boot ,rear wheel and rear door collapsed and absorbed the impact , I was not thrown to other side and just had a neck sprain. Suppose if the vehicle body would not have absorbed the impact it would have killed me.

Can you please elaborate on 'poor design' part?

IMO this is one of a freak accident where the accident only triggered other things in Mr. Munnde's body that caused the death. With reference to your accident, your spine is still intact after such a serious hit but his snapped.

I knew at least two persons who had separate minor accidents with two wheeler but later died due to internal injuries.

I also think that Mr. Munde and Jaspal Bhatti would be alive today if they were wearing the seat belts.

[Red Liner]

Seat belts for all passengers become compulsory in Kerala: http://news.webindia123.com/news/Art...4/2403703.html