[benbsb29]

Originally Posted by StopUnderrides

2) The attitude we need is what Thad has mentioned multiple times about his interactions with his Dad. Roads, traffic, weather are all external factors.

This I totally agree with.

Originally Posted by StopUnderrides

The bridge wall was just there. It didn’t actively prevent or cause the accident since it’s an immovable object. Ultimately it’s the driver’s responsibility to drive “safely as per conditions”.

This part i don't agree with entirely. When such immovable objects are constructed, there are considerations that should be made to ensure in the event of an unfortunate human or vehicle error, something is present to reduce the catastrophe that ensues. Hence why guardrails are designed to absorb impacts and deflect the object of impact away from the immovable structure.

[srgntpepper]

Originally Posted by Turbohead

After reading the article, I realised it's all just hogwash.

Yesterday, most news articles said the accident happened at 3:15 PM. How come the time suddenly become 2:30 PM?
Source: https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/cyru...-3314685/amp/1

Typical cop stuff! Anything and everything becomes an over speeding accident. I wouldn't be surprised if that accident occurred at 80kmph but who would've known that 3 lanes suddenly become 2 with the 3rd lane on a different bridge?

Agreed. No official statement is going accept faulty design or markings.

And being the left most lane, it tends to carry the slowest of traffic.

I drive this part of the highway once a week. I can tell you that trucks and other slow moving passenger cars often block the right and middle lanes even when the left lanes are free. Many times, two slow moving vehicles will occupy the "fast" lanes trying to gingerly overtake each other.

This road is in the worst condition I have seen in the last 5-6 years. Boisar to Mumbai which used to take about 2.5 hours of non-speedy driving can take anything from 3-4 hours these days. It is natural (not to be confused with justified) that people get frustrated and try to overtake slower cars from the left.

[Turbohead]

Originally Posted by srgntpepper

.
I drive this part of the highway once a week. I can tell you that trucks and other slow moving passenger cars often block the right and middle lanes even when the left lanes are free. Many times, two slow moving vehicles will occupy the "fast" lanes trying to gingerly overtake each other.

This road is in the worst condition I have seen in the last 5-6 years. Boisar to Mumbai which used to take about 2.5 hours of non-speedy driving can take anything from 3-4 hours these days. It is natural (not to be confused with justified) that people get frustrated and try to overtake slower cars from the left.

I completely agree with you on your points. Especially the frustration to overtake from the left, which I very often do and will continue to do provided, I have an experienced co-passenger who tells me whether it's same to do so or not

But if you look at the pictures posted earlier, overtaking from the left in a right hand curve will mean that the place where you intend to be is in a bind spot. And that's the catch. And that, coupled with the road design, has caused this tragedy.

[cule1899_bhp]

Shocking to hear this. RIP.
It's a reminder that seat belts are the primary safety nets regardless of the car and all the other active and passive safety systems. They're essential to survive the impact even if air bags are deployed.

[steadfast]

Quick question:

Curtain airbags did not deploy due to occupants not wearing rear seat belts. But I have seen so many crash videos on YouTube where all airbags get deployed even in mass market cars. Assuming rear passengers of these mass market cars were wearing seat belts is too much optimism.

So my question is what is the expected deployment scenario of curtain airbags ? With /without seat belts ? Not in frontal crash ?

[lionheart_mm]

Originally Posted by AirbusCapt

We Indians have this peculiar habit of not wearing seatbelts. Is it some kind of mass delusion or what, no one knows. In my car the moment I see that the rear seatbelt is off (warning sign on the dash), i simply slow down and stop the car on the edge of the road. The car moves only after the culprit has refastened his/her seatbelt.
The most common excuse of removing the seatbelt or refusing to wear it? Suffocation. I guess most Indians are fat so the seatbelt sort of digs into them making them feel trapped or something.

True. Plus traveling with children on the lap in the front seat. Strict fines should be imposed for both.

[Tanmay007]

Govt should make it mandatory for automakers to have occupancy sensors in all seats and continuous buzzing if one is not wearing a seatbelt.

Most new cars already have this for the front seats and it has resulted to a large extent in co-driver wearing the belt themselves without having to be forced.

[Vid6639]

Speed wise on a 4 lane expressway is all fine but my only thought is the angle of impact. The car has gone into the bridge barrier at 45 degree angle with no sign of ABS braking skidding, marks on road. Even with ABS you see the road marks just not jet black tyre marks.

This car seemingly turned into the divider of the bridge from the right most lane to the left at a 45 degree angle.

This is only possible if the tyr burst or the driver fell asleep or a sudden swerve to avoid something.

The GLC has attention assist so dozing off with no alarm inside is also not plausible.

The car has ESP and brake assist so if a tyre burst driver will immediately apply brakes causing the ESP, ABS and brake assist to kick in to stabilise the car.

Originally Posted by steadfast

Quick question:

Curtain airbags did not deploy due to occupants not wearing rear seat belts. But I have seen so many crash videos on YouTube where all airbags get deployed even in mass market cars. Assuming rear passengers of these mass market cars were wearing seat belts is too much optimism.

So my question is what is the expected deployment scenario of curtain airbags ? With /without seat belts ? Not in frontal crash ?

Curtain airbags wont deploy for frontal crash usually unless very severe. The severity has to trigger the side sensors on the pillar. Looks like the right side forces were higher than the left triggering the right and not the left.

Curtain airbags are designed more for T bone side impacts like in intersections and not for direct front.

[cule1899_bhp]

Wearing helmets to avoid fines and wearing seat belts just to make the car alarm stop is something I cannot get my head around, I can't stress how difficult it is to make the rear passengers wear them. I hope seat belt alarm for rear passengers made mandatory. The ridiculous seat belt pin accessories that are sold should be banned too.
But people find ways to get around stuff in different ways while not realising that their own safety is at stake. Recently a friend bought a new car and I noticed how the seat belt on the front passenger seat is buckled in permanently from the backside of the seat. If this is the attitude towards a basic safety feature then I'm afraid nothing can help.

[sanchari]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Speed wise on a 4 lane expressway is all fine but my only thought is the angle of impact. The car has gone into the bridge barrier at 45 degree angle with no sign of ABS braking skidding, marks on road. Even with ABS you see the road marks just not jet black tyre marks.

This car seemingly turned into the divider of the bridge from the right most lane to the left at a 45 degree angle.

This is only possible if the tyr burst or the driver fell asleep or a sudden swerve to avoid something.
...

My guess is that the driver was probably distracted. Either turning to back seat for conversation, or fiddling with some ICE controls or some other such distraction. The car was going at high speed and failed to respond in time

[Comrade]

I see three problems with this crash

1. Overspeeding - I hope NHAI or GoI takes matter into hands and establishes a central force to check speeding on national highways and expressways. Stricter action is needed than Speeding tickets issued by local police, which are immaterial (financially) for most of the car owners.

2. Bad road designs - I am not sure why we don't see impact attenuators ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impact_attenuator ) and guardrail in such places. Also, lanes start and end abruptly without proper warnings or buffer zones etc. Its hightime NHAI starts focussing on safety aspects of these highways.

3. Rear seat belts - This is a worldwide problem, and not at all specific to Indians and their physique. Most travellers are non-enthusiasts unlike team-bhpians, and may not understand difference between Primary Restraint Systems and Secondary Restraint Systems. Most of elders I talk to refer to airbags as "balloons" and think having balloons will save them from any crash (without wearing a seat belt). This can only go away with information, and MoRTH should concentrate on creating this awareness.

[karthikrao23]

Yes, airbags didn’t deploy because seatbelt not being fastened.

[srini1785]

RIP.

He was known to be a man of good business acumen. It was well known that he wanted a change in status quo almost immediately at TATA and Sons while the old guard preferred a more time bound approach. The rest is history.

As far as the accident goes, when your time is done, its done.

[steadfast]

Highway design can be wrong but designers can be given benefit of doubt if there was a road sign informing about the bridge and reduction of lanes well in advance. If such road sign was not present then it's a murder by authorities but if such a sign was there then it is negligence by driver.

Also curious if ADAS can prevent such accidents ?

[karthikrao23]

Originally Posted by GoBlue

“Most Indians are fat”!?

Ridiculously insensitive and offensive remark.

Do share which airline you fly for, let’s send a snapshot of this opinion to them and see what they think of this cheap insensitivity/hatred towards their passengers (or the general public of this country).

Looks like a cocktail of racial hatred mixed with body shaming elitism topped off with pilots-are-superhuman trappings of misplaced pride.

Nothing offensive. Obesity is increasing day by day.