[jaganm]

I saw the Dehradun accident pictures and video, it is just too grusome for people to watch. But if there is one thing to come out of this sad case, it should be a warning to people about the danger of standing out of the sunroof. Likely it wouldn't have saved them in this case due to other factors, but every time I see cars with young children standing out of the sunroof, I keep hoping that nothing untoward happens.

I am very much in favour of banning sunroofs because Indians just need to be protected from our own stupidity.

[NiInJa]

Originally Posted by venukrithish

I saw on twitter that sunroof might've been in use as well. I'm still not sure how it can t-bone and end in a tree on the other side.

The Innova’s bonnet got stuck at one corner of the container as can be seen in some photos. It’s as if one side of the car rammed into one big pointy iron block, ripping the car apart. Some photos of the car show that the left side was completely gone, the third row seat got dislodged. I can’t even imagine how fast the car must be going when it rammed into the container.

The manner in which bodies of two occupants were found, much further from the final resting place of the car does seem to indicate that they may be peering out of the sunroof as some witnesses claimed.

Unfortunately, there are some videos emerging about the occupants getting drunk at some party before this accident. If that is true, this is really a sad state of where the youth is heading :(

Driving a safer car does not mean one should stop using the parts of brain that deal with understanding the laws of physics, but it seems like many people are heading that way.

[arunphilip]

Originally Posted by NiInJa

Driving a safer car does not mean one should stop using the parts of brain that deal with understanding the laws of physics, but it seems like many people are heading that way.

Sadly, this isn't new - people have always been this way.

It's called risk compensation, which is a behavioral theory that says that people increase their risky behaviour when they perceive the risk has reduced.

It has been demonstrated by studies around seatbelts, around ABS systems. I'm sure there's a study out there that also covers ADAS and other levels of semi-autonomous driving.

[Small Bot]

Originally Posted by arunphilip

It's called risk compensation, which is a behavioral theory that says that people increase their risky behaviour when they perceive the risk has reduced.

That's insightful. I know this is just anecdotal evidence, but I see a disproportionate amount of Tata cars being driven around recklessly in my city, as compared to say Hyundai cars. It might be what you've said (people feel disproportionately safer in a higher crash-test-rated car), or it might just be the demographic of people who buy said cars, not sure.

[invidious]

From what I read on Twitter, some of the kids in the Innova had their heads bobbing outside the sunroof and this may have resulted in their heads lying a few hundred meters away from the car. The video was soul crushing to say the least

[Gansan]

Originally Posted by krishnakarthik1

What happened to all those ADAS features? If and when it does get tested will it even get 2 stars? Or is the outcome just the result of a huge truck and a tree that any car would have become like that.

Even a hunded star rating will not save the occupants if their car hits an immobile object that is many times the mass of their car at extreme speed. Even if the car remains absolutely intact passengers will not survive, the instant deceleration from extremely high speeds to zero in one second will turn their internal organs to jelly.

[that_sedate_guy]

Adding my two cents here to all the thought processes regarding vehicular safety systems.

Firstly, there was a clip somewhere where Dr. Neil Degrasse Tyson explained that even running into a wall can kill a human being because speeds as low as 25 kmph still have the ability to induce severe internal bleeding when the momentum is stopped abruptly. This is what happens in most crashes. Even sub-20 kmph crashes can break ribs, puncture lungs and such!

That's where safety systems help. They just help. An airbag will only help you break 2 bones instead of 20. In a severe enough crash, ABS, EBD, ESP and all these tech will maybe help you crawl out with shattered shin bones instead of lying there with a crushed skull. See where I'm getting at? These things exist simply to let you live to be wiser another day.

Safety and assist systems cannot behave like Superman, lifting your car out of the imminent crash zone and setting it down on a sunny beach. If that were to happen hypothetically, the below example should give an idea.

If anyone has seen the web series, "The Expanse", there is a scene where a local troublemaker wants to have a shot at going through a space ring. He speeds up and heads straight for the ring. What he does not know is that the ring has a security protocol that allows only up to a particular speed to go through and any object going faster simply gets stopped. Not destroyed, just stopped like someone suddenly grabbed the ship and arrested the movement. The poor guy didn't know that and got stopped. He did not crash, the ship simply became stationary. The guy turned into instant tomato soup. No damage to the exterior. Just becoming stationary turned him liquid no matter how safe he "theoretically" was inside his ship.

Hence, will there be a possibility where people can ram into trucks at 150 kmph and walk away? No to the nope. To quote professor Walter Lewin, "Physics works!" and as long as physics works, G force works and in turn, crashes will kill.

[rahulkr14]

Soul crushing, devastating - the Dehradun accident. And many more accidents in this thread. Over the years, I have become a sedate driver. But we are all humans and prone to mistakes. And then there are absolutely reckless drivers who risk not just their but lives of others also on the road. It often makes me wonder - the love for driving/riding that we all share comes with such huge risks. Indian roads especially are so damn unpredictable. I really hope that people start understanding the importance of being vigilant, careful on road, start maintaining a factor of safety while driving and most importantly understand that the worst and most unexpected events might happen to anyone, anytime.

Drive/ride safe people, there's a lot at stake!

[VellVector]

Originally Posted by krishnakarthik1

What happened to all those ADAS features? If and when it does get tested will it even get 2 stars?

I think this mindset will end up proving even more detrimental to people crashing the earlier 1 star tin cans.

Just because a car is ADAS equipped and 5 star rated doesn't change the laws of physics and will only improve your odds to a limit. But past a certain point and speed, no driver aid or safety device is saving you.

[Centauri]

Sad to see the young lives lost in seconds in this gruesome accident. If true then, drinking and driving, racing on the road and then to top it all sticking your heads out at such speeds is a sure shot recipe for disaster, and unfortunately they have paid for this with their lifes. This should serve as a reminder to all that speed thrills but also kills. Parents giving cars to their young children need to absolutely drill into them from very early on the basics of responsible behaviour, do's and dont's and safe driving mannerisms on our roads, but still need to be wary and have strict monitoring rules and safeguards, to avoid such accidents god forbid, and repent later for life..

[Mystic]

Very unfortunate Dehradun incident. May their souls rest in peace.

I spent some time on this incident watching on you tube news reporters and videos on X. My 2 cents with the available information so far:

1. Incident happened early morning hours
2. Youth involved
3. Alcohol involved
4. Racing with BMW.
5. Popping out through sunroof
6. High speeds.
7. Road looks like an internal city road and not a highway and hence not meant for very high speeds.

The above reasons are a perfect recipe for a disaster waiting to happen. I wish that this incident should be shown at every movie theatre before the movie starts just like the way they show a video on how tobacco has devastated many families.

Awareness of how horrific things can go wrong if taken lightly. Automobiles have become powerful and can accelerate at high speeds very quickly and combined with intoxication can make the judgement by the driver go wrong horribly.

Alcohol can never be banned. After a party, one should have a non intoxicated person ( one can turns among friends ) who is reserved to drive the car to take others back home. This small planning could have saved lives.

I hope the real truth will eventually emerge on the cause of incident and at this point in time we can only speculate. Even a tyre burst of overinflated tyre can also be a reason for the car to loose control. May be the lonely survivor can give more details.

[StarrySky]

Originally Posted by krishnakarthik1

What happened to all those ADAS features?

Auto emergency braking systems can be overridden if the driver presses the accelerator. If the driver keeps his foot planted on the A-pedal, I doubt if the autonomous braking would be effective to any great extent.

[PreludeSH]

Originally Posted by StarrySky

Auto emergency braking systems can be overridden if the driver presses the accelerator. If the driver keeps his foot planted on the A-pedal, I doubt if the autonomous braking would be effective to any great extent.

Even standing on the brake will only stop the car after some distance. ADAS has to use the same brakes ! If you swerve and find a target to hit, nothing much can be done.

[Doge]

With all the talks of ADAS, all the people I know who drive cars with ADAS, like the XUV 700, always leave it off. The fear of getting rear ended on Indian roads means that few people actually leave it turned on, at least that's what I've experienced. In my personal experience also with the ADAS, it can panick and brake when the average bad Indian driver is cutting lanes in front of you.

[FiatDiesel]

With this brutal Innova accident in Dehradun, it reminds me of Porsche incident in Pune few months ago.

Why is it tough for parents to inculcate basic civic sense in their children?

Let me give you real life example:-

In my residential building complex, a top automobile dealer also resides, his children are young teens / adults. I have seen them roaming around in black SUV's day in day out and heard that whatever happens on road, leave the place, call home and everything will be managed.

I won't blame law enforcement agencies for being corrupt, it is us, parents who groom children with this mindset to not to worry if you get entangled with law, we will get you out. May be parents are blinded with money or power, guess they forgot, it can't buy life back.

Just think if instead of truck, if it would have been two wheeler with couple / children, everything would have been managed just like Porsche case.

All I can say if parents would have imparted better sense to children, they would have been alive.