[Lobogris]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

Now, an average throw of the headlight of a car in night is between 250 feet to 450 feet (76 to 137 mtr). So, the best of headlight can throw the visibility upto about 140 mtr that takes 5 seconds for the driver to cover. Now the truck is also moving in the same direction but slowly. So let's add another 2 seconds to the car driver's reaction time. So, technically the driver can see 7 (5+2) seconds of his drive time ahead in the night (at 100 kmph) and that's an extremely short duration of time to take evasive action from the moment he spots the truck ahead. If the car driver is even slightly distracted say due to a conversation, listening to music or lost in his thoughts for a moment, he has no time to take any evasive action.

Fully agree with all your suggestions. I would only like to add that under normal circumstances, one is able to spot a vehicle way earlier than it is visible in the headlights as all vehicles have tail lights. So we can spot them from much further away. Of course, it’s another matter that many trucks in India don’t have them operational. This is so appalling that such a simple and easily enforceable thing is overlooked across the country. It is a travesty that we don’t have any highway patrol anywhere in the country. I generally avoid traveling at night in India. It is common to have unmarked and unlit barriers suddenly appear even on expressways in addition to cattle and other problems.

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by Dhillon

https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=2f95b6MO5oE

Another accident in Pune involving a speeding car and a 2W. Both the parties are at fault here, car is over speeding and the bike rider made the turn without due caution.
Glad that the 2W riders survived.

1st camera angle I would say car and biker was at fault 50-50% - but after seeing there was a small village kind of bus stop and tea shops and a zebra up ahead and the rumblers were there for that reason - I would hold the car 90% and biker 10% for risking & assuming he is pulling into a village road side shop.

That car driver was going highway speeds in a rural single carriage way. Paid a heavy price.

[MyLife_MyCar]

Originally Posted by DriverLess

https://x.com/DriveSmart_IN/status/1815333723082207384
Delhi - Meerut.

Wrong side driving; I've no words.

Think of the dilemma of the other drivers - to stop or not to stop.

This is a high speed expressway and slowing down immediately or stopping on the middle/right lane would call for even more disaster. Hence, many chose to continue to drive. Only couple of cars at the end of video seem to be stopping on the left most lane.

What should one do in such a situation?

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by MyLife_MyCar

Think of the dilemma of the other drivers - to stop or not to stop.

This is a high speed expressway and slowing down immediately or stopping on the middle/right lane would call for even more disaster. Hence, many chose to continue to drive. Only couple of cars at the end of video seem to be stopping on the left most lane.

What should one do in such a situation?

I read in newspaper that 2 wheelers are banned on Delhi Meerut highway where this accident occurred.

So, the motorcycle was not supposed to be on that road. And the car was not supposed to drive against the flow.

Both are at fault. The car being larger of the 2 vehicles involved in the accident, the 2 persons (A mother aged 40 & son aged 20) on the motorcycle (the vulnerable vehicle amongst the two) paid the price with their life.

Both the vehicles shouldn't have been there in the first place. It's very difficult to assess such situations as the rules and regulations are in place to avoid such a happening and consequences of breaking the rules are evident from the tragic accident.

[electric_eel]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

So the solution, drive slow. Perhaps at 80 Kmph or even 70 Kmph. Be very aware/alert in night. Keep to middle lane as much as possible so that you have wriggle room to both sides, ease your accelerator pedal as soon as you spot some slow moving vehicle ahead..I don't say you press the brake, but just ease the gas /accl pedal, give a pause so that you are ready to overtake safely.

Brilliant analysis. Cannot really argue against the point of keeping speeds in check. An additional factor to consider is that low light and lack of visual background clues make judging the distances that much more difficult.

[GTX+]

Originally Posted by LordSharan

Can't stress this enough. The biker is at no fault whatsoever.

Not really. The biker is at equal fault here. 2 & 3 wheelers are not allowed on the inner Delhi - Meerut expressway. They are allowed on the outer NH9.

But this is just on paper. Unfortunately, no one, the motorist or the authorities, give a damn about this. Every single day you will find hundreds or 2 wheelers merrily driving on the DME, sometimes wrong side and putting their as well as other motorist's lives at risk.

Not only DME, even the NH9 has its share of wrong side driving, plus the usual menace of auto & EV rickshaws blocking half of the road to drop/pick passengers (NH9 is 2 lane either side while DME is 4 lanes each).

For people unfamiliar with the layout, am attaching a simple diagram for ease.

[MyLife_MyCar]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

Both are at fault. The car being larger of the 2 vehicles involved in the accident, the 2 persons (A mother aged 40 & son aged 20) on the motorcycle (the vulnerable vehicle amongst the two) paid the price with their life.

Thank you, sir. Maybe my post wasn’t clear.
I’m not asking who’s at fault here. I’m asking what other drivers on the road should do when they witness an accident on high-speed expressways?
Should they stop to help, which may endanger them as there might be other vehicles behind and result in multiple panic-braking situation?
Or continue on their way so as to keep the road clear, but inform the highway patrol on a call?

[IamNikhil]

Another hit-and-run, reportedly from Pune. From what seems to be the case, the speeding white Swift Dzire cab tries to avoid the oncoming biker, loses control and hits a woman before proceeding to flee from the scene. The impact is sure to have resulted in grievous injuries to the woman. Hope the police grabs the culprit.

https://youtu.be/1t9WW83iflU

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by MyLife_MyCar

Thank you, sir. Maybe my post wasn’t clear.
I’m not asking who’s at fault here. I’m asking what other drivers on the road should do when they witness an accident on high-speed expressways?
Should they stop to help, which may endanger them as there might be other vehicles behind and result in multiple panic-braking situation?
Or continue on their way so as to keep the road clear, but inform the highway patrol on a call?

I am very sorry that I digressed my reply from your post.

Stopping for help is a very essential and noble thing to do. We all know about the Golden hour. It's the first 60 minutes after an accident when prompt medical care can significantly increase the chance of survival and reduce the severity of injuries. During this time, the decisions and actions taken can have a major impact on the outcome.

Again let's put ourselves in the victim's shoes. I am sure, we all expect that help arrives ASAP and chances of our survival improves exponentially.

As we have seen, it's a multi lane highway where vehicles are zipping by at high speed. Sudden braking could result in multiple collision and pile up. So prudent action would be to flash left indicator and park a bit ahead on the side kerb and switch ON the hazard light and rush to the aid of the victims.

I think It's very important to get one vehicle parked on the kerb with hazard lights ON a few meters ahead of the accident spot, so that other vehicle drivers are cautioned and they slow down.

I believe as long as the vehicles are parked along the kerb with hazard lights ON, it should be safe. Ambulance and police should be on the way by this time as someone would have informed them. Then the police arrive and take control over the situation.

It would be inhuman to leave an accident victim on the road and move on. It could happen to anyone, our loved ones or us. So, helping ASAP is a right thing to do in my opinion.

[sandeepmohan]

Originally Posted by ashkamath

Night driving is different from day driving. I for one, enjoy night driving/riding and I factor all risks and possibilities in my night driving.

Its good you enjoy driving at night. Very few people can.

You can reduce your speed but you cannot take away fatigue. The body isn't designed to operate after sun down. You fall asleep. Naturally. The blinding lights make it worse, even on divided roads. There is a point that you start dazing into them and the stress of that tires you. Every reaction of the body gets slower. The way you process information gets slower. There is only so much coffee and Red Bull can do to keep you alert.

I can do a road trip safely at night but I avoid it as much as I can. No matter how good your lights are, you do not have anywhere near the visibility as daylight. Your field of view narrows down to just the car lights in front of you. You see nothing else. You have almost limited to no peripheral vision as its all dark around you.

Frame of mind is also important. What other stresses are you dealing with. Can have a significant impact to how you react on the road.

Lets for a moment assume most trucks or vehicles on the road do have their tail lights operating. One other challenge or danger that remains are wild dogs or straying cattle. You ain't spotting any of that.

Our roads are a lot busier these days. Gone are the days where you drove at night cause traffic was sparse.

[dust-n-bones]

Originally Posted by Lobogris

Of course, it’s another matter that many trucks in India don’t have them operational. This is so appalling that such a simple and easily enforceable thing is overlooked across the country.

+1. There are layers to this serious hazard at night. Some of these trucks carry cargo like wood or oversized beams which camouflage into the night. To top it, there are no reflective surfaces or strips. How hard is it to do that. Seems criminal negligence to me.
Then there are 2 wheelers, who don't even have front lights, taillights are for dummies. Likewise for helmets.

Originally Posted by Lobogris

It is common to have unmarked and unlit barriers suddenly appear even on expressways in addition to cattle and other problems.

+1. And some more. There are authorized (and many unauthorized) gaps in the median where vehicles, autos, people will be facing you sideways, almost blending into the dark. Most will wait for safe passage, some rely on you to blink first.
And then our wonderful NHAI and its contractors. There are numerous stretches where road paint is missing completely. So you have to just point your vehicle in the general direction where you think the road is and say a silent prayer. And those unmarked speed breakers.

Originally Posted by ashkamath

So the solution, drive slow. Perhaps at 80 Kmph or even 70 Kmph. Be very aware/alert in night. Keep to middle lane as much as possible so that you have wriggle room to both sides, ease your accelerator pedal as soon as you spot some slow moving vehicle ahead..I don't say you press the brake, but just ease the gas /accl pedal, give a pause so that you are ready to overtake safely.

+1 again. Avoid driving at night is the golden rule. But can't be avoided always - if for example you will end up at your destination around midnight. Another suggestion is to find a pilot vehicle or convoy, follow the lights and keep safe distance.
In order to overtake, slow down, make sure there is clear passage, get super alert and complete the overtake quickly. Good advice regardless if its day or night.

[ashkamath]

Originally Posted by sandeepmohan

Its good you enjoy driving at night. Very few people can.

You can reduce your speed but you cannot take away fatigue. The body isn't designed to operate after sun down. You fall asleep. Naturally. The blinding lights make it worse, even on divided roads. There is a point that you start dazing into them and the stress of that tires you. Every reaction of the body gets slower. The way you process information gets slower. There is only so much coffee and Red Bull can do to keep you alert.

Our roads are a lot busier these days. Gone are the days where you drove at night cause traffic was sparse.

I fully agree to your POV. I enjoy driving at night for a reason. Let me explain.

I am chronic asthmatic by birth. So, I have battled breathing difficulties & sleepless nights since my childhood. It so happens that I am unable to lie down in night due to breathing congestion and I have no option but to sit upright bent forward through out the night, till say 3:30 AM or 4 AM in the morning when the breathing becomes easy and I fall to sleep. I missed a lot of school attendance as I wouldn't wake up in time for school and then rush and somehow make it. So, even when I didn't have the breathing congestion at times, I cannot fall asleep till 3:30 AM - 4 AM in the morning. Then a few hours of sleep and I am all good.

So, since my childhood my body has accustomed to being awake and alert in the night and my sleep cycle is altered. Over a period of time I noticed that I am very active and alert during night and I needed much lesser sleep than others.

I have been riding/driving in night since over 35 years now and as you rightly said I have reduced/stopped driving in night since a few years now as my reflexes are not as sharp as when I was young and the traffic has increased multifold now.

Normally when I drive in night, I don't drink coffee/red bull etc, nor do I need a co-passenger stay awake and keep engaging in a conversation with me nor I listen to the music. I prefer the other occupants to sleep and no music. So, it's a total silent cockpit. Actually that's totally against the general/ common norm. But that's how my body is hard wired. I have done that for decades and safely too.

The present night driving hazards include the trucks without tail lamps, police barricades, cattles and dogs on road, unexpected road humps/rumblers, potholes, fast moving night buses and cars zig-zagging recklessly, parked trucks, early dawn tractor, cycle movements and much more. So, coming to now, I don't drive in night unless it's an emergency.

And then, night driving cannot be totally avoided as sometimes circumstances force us to drive in night. That's when the necessary care and such factors come into play.

[RunGaDa]

Originally Posted by Dhillon

Another accident in Pune involving a speeding car and a 2W. Both the parties are at fault here, car is overspeeding and the bike rider made the turn without due caution.
Glad that the 2W riders survived.

The two wheeler rider is “jaywalking” on the road, did not notice the speeding car. The car driver was too fast to control himself.
Both must be penalized. And the license of 2 wheeler rider needs to be cancelled. I would never sit behind such person even if he is my spouse.

[GTX+]

Horrible accident. Not sure of the when this happened and where. No details mentioned.

Hats off to the kids who showed lot of courage and presence of mind.

The kind of speed the car came in, no idea if the driver was distracted or if there was some medical situation or error of judgement or what!!

https://x.com/MADHU70358616/status/1816015471868797090

[N.A.GTC]

Originally Posted by GTX+

Horrible accident.

The kind of speed the car came in, no idea if the driver was distracted or if there was some medical situation or error of judgement or what!!

Yeah, the car is at a dramatically high speed, but IMHO, the bus should have waited for the car to pass before making the U-turn.

I also noticed that the kids climbed out of the windows and joined the others in breaking the windshield. Wouldn't it had been easier to open/break the emergency exits which are usually on the side & back of school busses? (or am I wrong about it)