[BenjiRoss]

I guess the seat belts did save lives.
The front windshield crack on the drivers side seems to be done by the instrument cluster panelling rather than the driver - the inside pics suggest that as it is too low to be the drivers head.
The seat belt could have caused bruising and some tissue damage especially at that speed and sudden stop.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by abk

Apparently, no skid marks were left on the road. Can be assumed the car did not skid. Whether or not the brakes were slammed hard is unknown. Under these circumstances would it be prudent to use the handbrakes instead, notwithstanding that all actions under such emergencies happen more via instincts than by conscious decisions?

That's an interesting observation. Indeed, there don't appear to be any skid marks behind the car at all, going by the pics. Prima facie, it would appear the driver just didn't get enough reaction time to brake, before he hit the truck. Whether the truck turned too soon and too close for him to react, or whether his attention was distracted at that point of time, would be difficult to judge. It is hardly likely that the main brakes would have failed, since even Santros come wit dual-circuit hydraulics. In any case, using the handbrakes is just not an option - one is likely to throw a car at speed into a spin with fatal results.

[tanwaramit]

Very sad crash. Glad to hear both occupants are safe.

These truck drivers donot look behind before changing lanes (or for taking U turn).

I also experienced something like this in my Santro, the truck was on rightmost lane since a long time (I cud see from far behind), I try to overtake him from left, he suddenly changes lane to left side. Had a very very very narrow escape. The brakes of Santro helped or else I wud have also banged into truck.

Here it seems he didnt get enough time to respond.

[rkbharat]

those guys are really lucky, thanks to god.

but the crash gives an impression of head on.

[Ice]

Glad to hear that the occupants are safe. Trucks will be trucks, I guess. Best solution: get a loud horn and never fail to honk as you near a truck. Make the blokes aware that you are there. I haven't driven a truck, but I'm pretty sure that there are blind-spots for them too (especially if the truck is over-loaded and bulging on the sides).

[h@r$h@l]

This was published in TOI this morning. Qualis badly hit. Bend right from middle. All occupants safe.

Full article attached.

[ImmortalZ]

Something I saw written on a truck's bumper in Singapore:

"If you can't see my mirrors, I can't see you."

Good adage, I think.

[prince_pervez]

Originally Posted by h@r$h@l

Bend right from middle.

Ok I've run out of all guesses. Could someone explain the phenomenon depicted in the photograph. Beats me all ends up.

[pulsar56]

Originally Posted by prince_pervez

Ok I've run out of all guesses. Could someone explain the phenomenon depicted in the photograph. Beats me all ends up.

Seems like something very heavy, a iron beam or something fell on the Qualis.

[vineethvazhayil]

Originally Posted by prince_pervez

Ok I've run out of all guesses. Could someone explain the phenomenon depicted in the photograph. Beats me all ends up.

What on earth has happened? This looks like some heavy object landed on the roof to bend the qualis! Any explanations on what has happened?

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by h@r$h@l

This was published in TOI this morning. Qualis badly hit. Bend right from middle. All occupants safe.

Full article attached.

The whole chassis bent from the middle after hitting a streetlight? And how did that happen? The streetlight took umbrage and hit the Qualis on the head after that? One tough streetlight, IMHO! Indian streetlight tougher than Toyota quality.

[abk]

Dear all, thanks for your views, feedback & relief!

Originally Posted by BenjiRoss

I guess the seat belts did save lives.
The front windshield crack on the drivers side seems to be done by the instrument cluster panelling rather than the driver - the inside pics suggest that as it is too low to be the drivers head.
The seat belt could have caused bruising and some tissue damage especially at that speed and sudden stop.

Indeed the seat belts must have been the life saver.

Originally Posted by SkyWalker

aaggoswami, that was my first reaction, but reading again, i realized what he means is Truck suddenly swerved from a middle lane to right to take a u turn ahead. That can hardly be called as a fault on the person driving the Santro.

Worst part is that these truck drivers go scot free after incidents like this. Glad both passengers are safe.

You are right. The truck swerved to the right, cut lane and was negotiating the U turn when my friend's car rammed into the side of the truck (frontal collision for the car)

Originally Posted by prince_pervez

That is correct, but, in this case it seems (from the writeup)
that the car hit the truck side ways. In my opinion near the right front wheel of the truck.

Correct.

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

I think that the driver of Santro was not wearing belts or some fault came up and it did not hold him properly. During our Baleno crash, my uncle sitting in the front passenger seat banged his head on the windscreen and we has similar mark visible on the windscreen of Santro.

Ok, we agree it was truck drivers fault, but should't we maintain a safe distance from all these trucks ? Also the truck must have that bar to avoid cars from going below the truck, else the rear end of trucks is high such that the place that takes maximum impact is the base of A-pillar.

They are also fortunate to say the least.
I think this was avoidable if the driver kept a safe distance from the truck. One must not cross the speeds like 80 on Indian highways that are not expressways, also experience matters a lot.
Its said that " Enjoy the journey ".

About the car, initially I thought that the car help up well, but there in intrusion into the cabin, not exactly intursion, but the cabin came, but still for a small car its nice to see the impact being taken nicely.

The driver of my friend's car did maintain a relatively safe distance but was speeding to overtake. Both of them had their seat belts fastened on.

Originally Posted by prince_pervez

What happened to the truck driver? Did he run away? I really can't understand how people can risk themselves and others especially when taking 'U' turns and moving from a stationary position. So many times I have experienced rickshawallas negotiating a half 'U' turn and then peeping to see if someone is coming from behind. The half turn is enough for someone not alert to skid off a bike and hurt himself.
My sense cannot expalin this behaviour.

The truck did not stop at all!! The truck just fled the scene and later when cops came my friend and her colleague could not even lodge a police complaint because they did not have the truck's details.

Originally Posted by akroy

Thats a nasty one. But by the looks it seems the drivers head might have banged the front screen. Was he really wearing seat belt or seat belt was faulty?
What was the truck driver's opinion? Did he accept his fault?

Car is a write off.

See my comments above. The driver's head did not bang against the windscreen (as much as he is aware). The car does look like a write off case.

Abhi[/quote]

Originally Posted by MileCruncher

Handbrake only engages the rear wheel and not diagonally opposite wheels.

The normal braking otherwise has approx about 55:45 brake pressure distribution with front bias.

Thanks for this useful information!

Originally Posted by lightpower

Very sorry to see this.

One thing for sure if we use Hand brakes then the car is going to go like a twister since hand brakes engage only diagonally opposite wheels and not all the four.

Even whilst cruising on a straight line with steering held straight?

Originally Posted by revtech

thats one bad accident.glad your friend and her colleague are safe.ive seen a lot of truckers taking U turns or cutting in without checking and estimating the speed of the other vehicles around them.looking at the third pic, the entire dashboard is cracked as well.
Yes, dashboard has been smashed!

rev

Originally Posted by akshay4587

Thats a bad one
and what to say about these morons on road,they shouldnt be allowed to drive.
Thank god both of them are safe.
and it looks like that driver hit the windshield.The car might be a total write off.

See my comments above.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by abk

Even whilst cruising on a straight line with steering held straight?

Yes. Braking with the handbrake/e-brake at speed will set off a fishtailing, which can end up with a spin. To prove it, try out the same on a stretch of flat, empty, wide road - try stopping your car by locking up the rear wheels from 80 km/h, and you'll immediately observe the effect. Disclaimer: The author claims no responsibility for the consequences of such action.

[harry10]

Not a good feeling when you hit a truck in a santro at 50km and above. They are lucky!

A streetlight bending the qualis. how can occupants be safe when its bended from middle, i mean front maybe but people on middle seats how they escaped?

[DileepKS]

Don't even THINK about trying to stop a car with handbrakes, even at 20kmph. It is going to skid, and once it skids, you have no idea where it goes.

I have first hand experience in doing it in a desperate situation. My wife was doing practice driving, with me in the pax seat of her M800. She has the problem of "single tasking", ie, when she steers, her legs gets stuck where they are, so can't brake or clutch. We are on this narrow lane near the home, and there was an auto stopped, with very little room for the M800 to pass.Car was rolling at walking speed.

The lady tries to use the steering (because that is the active control at hand) as the solution. I yell her to brake, but she is too panicky to obey. Thinking that we are slow enough for the handbrake, I yank it to stop the car before we hit the auto.

At walking speed, the rear wheels skidded, and we came to a stop a foot before the auto. People around, including the auto driver, was stunned. Then they saw the lady, the red "L" on the windscreen, and just smiled understandingly.

She did get the license in the first shot, but still have the same problem of paniking and single tasking. I am taking her on practice sessions, almost every day, but no luck :(