[Sober_Motorhead]

RIP

Even experienced, generally careful drivers make the occasional reckless manoeuvre out of sheer frustration to get ahead - sometimes with tragic results. Particularly when navigating through slow moving trucks blocking all lanes, on badly designed roads, with little or no signage. Sure many of us on this esteemed forum have experienced this, either as drivers or passengers - and were fortunate enough to make it safe.

Perhaps its too early to wish /ask for truck only, two wheeler only and car only lanes, on major multi lane highways. But other countries also started small and have successfully implemented it, thus saving lives, time and fuel.

On human compliancy and stupidity on choices we make - we continue choosing panoramic sunroof (in a hot, humid, polluted country) over critical safety aspects (in the highest accidental death rate country). What can one say?

Do the police have the skill sets to pin point the exact causes of this tragedy (or any road accident, for that matter) - one wonders? Perhaps they should begin taking the help of experts and Mercedes itself (this crash), to better understand reasons of these fatal accidents.

Subsequent learnings can be used by NHAI, car manufacturers, vehicle test agencies (eg. NCAP), regulators to better design stuff, tailored to Indian conditions.

Am new to this forum. Based on my limited experience, this is the only forum in India, that keeps bringing out relevant data points and analysis on build quality and safety aspects of cars, without bias. We all love our families dearly, and the odds of loosing them untimely, is highest on our roads. That's a hard fact. Hence kudos to the members who have been at it, in keeping / highlighting all aspects of car and road safety, to increase awareness.

Safe driving. Safe travels.

[MT_Hyderabad]

This case is no deterrent for anyone. Just a small hype for sometime, after a few days all will be as normal as before.

Is this the first time some high profile person died for not wearing seat belt on the rear seat?

Let me share two three instances which I remember:
1. Jaspal Bhatti. Was sitting in the rear seat when his car collided with a tree. Everyone else survived, but he died. Reason: Not wearing seat belt.
2. Gopinath Munde. Travelling in an SX4, sitting on the rear seat, driver ran a signal in early morning hours. A taxi collided with the car, there was no (or very minor) visible damage to the car. He started feeling uneasy and went to hospital. Died after sometime. Reason: Not wearing seat belt. His ribs were fractured and cut an important blood vessel.
3. This one is very recent and we discussed it on the forum, Vinayak Mete: Was asleep (without wearing seat belts) on the rear seat when accident happened; his body guard and driver survived.

Cyrus Mistry, may his soul rest in peace, have put some focus back again on rear seat safety, but I don't think that it will be a deterrent for any longer than 15 days.

[LokiPilaniya]

Originally Posted by djs

And Google Maps 3D view shows elevation variation which may have hindered visibility of driver.

Actually there is no drop in the elevation near this bridge. But there is a flyover just before 600-700 meters of this bridge.

They must have increased the speed midway of that flyover, while coming down. Accident spot is about 1.25km from that sharp bend on that flyover.

[TheStRyder]

What a tragic loss of life. Condolences to the families of the deceased. This loss could have been easily avoided simply by wearing seatbelts.

One thing I have observed is that Mr. Mistry being a distinguished personality, the news of the accident has got a lot of people talking about the importance of wearing seatbelts at the rear.

The accident news was shared across whatsapp groups along with crash test video which shows the impact on unbelted crash dummies at the rear.

A well known figure suffering such a fate in a solidly built car has jolted people into accepting the need of wearing seatbelts at the rear. Hope the news is widely spread in mainstream media and it creates some safety awareness.

It is wishful thinking that this temporary shock will inculcate the habit of wearing seatbelts in the rear. Only solution I see is seatbelt reminders for all occupants.

I know many will find ways to work around it but strongly feel this will save many lives.

Hopefully someone advises Mr. Gadkari to shift his focus on making six airbags compulsary to making seatbelt reminders for all accupants compulsary

[ACM]

Been insisting that my parents wear the seatbelt in the rear seat since 1999 Cielo; And they always did so on their own. They even wore seat belts on their own while each being driven to the hospital for their respective last trips.

The difficulty is getting today's younger generation and peers to wear seat belts.

My son always sat in a car seat in the rear while of that age and was never allowed in the front seat till of age and size. I would simply not drive the car till the seat belts were worn by ALL in the car.

RIP CM

[gutsy]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Steel crash barricade, tyre barrier, plastic water tanks or a properly designed crumple barrier.

There's so much that could have been done to not have a concrete barrier directly in the path like that. It's just complete apathy.

In 2017, 2 lives were lost at the same spot and the driver was blamed for overspeeding:

https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/...w/60909399.cms

Instead of proper signage that three lanes are merging into two, and installing a crumple barrier authorities simply made a thick concrete block.

This is plain sight murder.

[Kln]

Quite telling that the media is solely focusing on 'personal responsibility' and rear seat belts rather than the awful state of highways and roads and the sheer lack of any action by the government. Propaganda much, TOI?

[Kosfactor]

Looking at the speeds they were traveling at , this can be easily called dangerous driving, I don't think a crash barrier would have helped, at best it would have diverted the car onto the rear end of another truck.



Illustration from Deccan Herald.

[Kln]

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

Looking at the speeds they were traveling at , this can be easily called dangerous driving, I don't think a crash barrier would have helped, at best it would have diverted the car onto the rear end of another truck.

Attachment 2355434

Illustration from Deccan Herald.

The phrase 'officials said' is doing quite the heavy lifting here. Where is the proof? If I were an incompetent babu trusted with the job of securing my nation's highways, I too would blame a dead man of speeding and dying rather than admit my sheer uselessness.

[Safari Persona]

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

Attachment 2355434

Illustration from Deccan Herald.

Isn't 20 kilometers in 9 minutes an average speed of ~133KMPH? Did the "official" really claim that's 180-190 or is that an editorial mistake?

[RunGaDa]

Its quite debatable that a high profile guy like Mistry should've settled for lesser than the very best car to ride / own, point apart it shows the car held up quite well.

I have noticed when in the US, before every exit there are yellow drums filled with water on the V part on the right side being US. If we had such drums the impact would have been taken up and a likely scene that occupants would have been not injured / dead.

Its very sad to read the news. I had so much appreciation for Cyrus Mistry. May his soul rest in peace. Om Shanti.

[GeeTee TSI]

Originally Posted by ACM

Been insisting that my parents wear the seatbelt in the rear seat since 1999 Cielo; And they always did so on their own. They even wore seat belts on their own while each being driven to the hospital for their respective last trips.

It is tough for me to put this down too - my wife put on the seatbelts even when she was writhing in pain during radiation sessions till her last trip to the hospital. IIRC she (we both) picked up this awareness from this forum.

The point is not about concessions being extended to people exempting them from wearing seatbelts (patient, VIP, or a fidgety kid) the moment seatbelts are off your chest, risk promptly manifests instead

[Kiran Joshi]

Hello

Pardon my ignorance.

Is it true that in case of crash, air bags will not deply, it seat belts are not on?

We have up to 7 air bags in main stream cars. Which seat belts are linked to which air bag sensors?

What's exact relationship between these two?

Regards

[TheHelix0202]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Chance is just destiny by another name. Let us not talk of either. All accidents have history and causes, and humans are usually at the top of the list. As StopUnderrides says...

I was talking about the contextual meaning of the word 'destiny' here where one goes "ohh it's pre-ordained fate this, fate that...", which isn't the same as the concept of a mathematical probability - chance, where anything within reason can happen, usually not due to an unexplainable and supernatural written-in-the-stars kind of deal.

But yeah, I agree with the human error part. It's obviously true. Man is fundamentally flawed by nature. Let's get back on topic.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

Looking at the speeds they were traveling at , this can be easily called dangerous driving..Illustration from Deccan Herald.

If this report is credible, 190 kmph is downright lunacy. This driver was overtaking from the left which makes it worse, downright irresponsible driving IMO.

There are varying estimates of how fast the vehicle was going. 130 or 190 is simply too fast when you're in this type of traffic.

Yes the road design is terrible and was certainly a contributing factor to this accident. But then the accident was avoidable too.

Originally Posted by msprabhakar

I say, don't underestimate human behaviour. Behavioural safety is a subject that every industrial engineer studies. Ratan Tata (or Cyrus Mistry) not wearing a safety belt is no different from a construction worker nor wearing a helmet, even if provided. It's a long, slow and painful process to start changing safety culture. But it invariably starts from the top, implemented consistently, and communicated continuously.

I agree with the contention that Mr Tata should lead by example and always wear a seat belt in a vehicle. As I said before, I hope he and others in this country have learned something from this tragic accident. Safety is too often overlooked by road users.

My principle is quite straight forward - belt up or we ain't going anywhere. Simple. I have some simple dos and don'ts when it comes to my travelling in my car but then that's a different topic.

Accident site may be new ‘black spot’

Too little too late but they woke up.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Autopsy summary

https://indianexpress.com/article/ci...rgans-8133139/

Isn't this exactly how Princess Diana died 25 years ago on 31/8/1997 in that car crash. Again, no seat belts were worn.