[COMMUTER]

Originally Posted by WasavaTyres

Just got news about a bus accident at a place called Ghata Billod near Indore, M.P. From the video it looks like the driver simply dozed off.

When a person is severely drowsy but not asleep, the brain feels confident and things always appear to be in control and apparently be done about leisurely. We will feel strongly sedated. We feel like we need not get tensed and that the momentary lapse of reaction is harmless and in control. The driver would have had his eyes open but his brain might have been seriously fatigued and he would have had some muscle memory to loosely steer the bus before loosing it completely.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Indeed, it seems that somehow he did not see the truck even though he was looking at it.


.

[Arwin07]

Originally Posted by SamitMukherjee

I don't think the driver dozed off. Because had it been so, the bus could not have entered that lane accurately.
Instead brake failure seems to be the reason.

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Indeed, it seems that somehow he did not see the truck even though he was looking at it..

Even if the driver didn't see the lorry ahead, he should have slowed to enter the toll and the speed with which we enter the toll booth is less than 30 kmph. But the driver seems to hit the lorry at 50-60kmph.

The precise steering input to avoid getting into a closed lane and to enter the lane in which lorry was there at 50-60kmph indicates that the driver was very much awake.

IMHO, the fact that he didn't even slow the bus to enter the toll booth suggest that it is a case of brake failure.

[COMMUTER]

Had he been awake, any driver would have simply jammed the gearbox into reverse instinctively as the heavy vehicle drivers would have better knowledge of engine braking to avert the collision. That would have raised a plume of smoke due to locked wheels. He hadn't done that. He was drowsy almost to the point of being asleep but acting sedately on muscle memory to give loose inputs to steering wheel.

This is exactly why we should check whether we can recollect the last km traversed especially when undertaking long drives to avoid the danger of drowsiness. If it appears as if we are covering the last few kms by magic without any recollection of doing so then we have to pull over immediately or go limping at slow speeds (60-70kmph) and reach a spot where we can pull over safely.

Our teambhp thread on night driving recommends this too.

[FORTified]

Originally Posted by Superleggera

Looks like the driver didn't see the all black truck which was staying in the shadow of the toll booth. While watching the video I didn't realize that there was a truck already in the lane.

Truck or no truck, just see the speed of approach and the way the bus went over the hump.

If that truck wasn't there, he would have tried his hand at driving away without paying toll.

[A350XWB]

Originally Posted by FORTified

Truck or no truck, just see the speed of approach and the way the bus went over the hump.

Exactly what I thought, after watching the video. Truck or no truck, how many people will approach a toll booth at that speed? Just look at the way he jumped over that speed breaker. Insane!

[SJM1214]

An XUV500's accident with an Eicher somewhere in Ahmedabad.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Indeed it is hard to explain the speed of the coach coupled with "accurate" steering.

I am very doubtful about brake failure. In reality it is rare except perhaps on ancient and badly maintained vehicles. It just seems to be the first excuse from the mouth of drivers, as if it is the thing that cannot be denied. Also, surely a driver with brake failure would steer away, especially from such a danger to themselves.

[swissknife]

Originally Posted by SJM1214

Attachment 1874181

From this picture it seems to be entirely the truck driver's fault. The XUV wouldnt have had much time to do much, given the distance from the break in the median and the point of impact. To save a few minutes, a whole lot of time lost, not to mention possible loss of lives.

[SamitMukherjee]

Originally Posted by Superleggera

Looks like the driver didn't see the all black truck which was staying in the shadow of the toll booth. While watching the video I didn't realize that there was a truck already in the lane.

Had it been so, the bus driver at least have brought down the speed owing to the toll booth ahead. From the video it doesn't look like the bus speed even dropped.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by swissknife

From this picture it seems to be entirely the truck driver's fault.

When no details at all are given, I wonder how much point there is in conjecture? But still... I'd jump to the same conclusion. The truck has turned on to the wrong side of the road.

[Arwin07]

Sadly, I didn't get any reply for my old post from fellow Team BHPians about the current legislations and solutions. Friends, kindly help.

Originally Posted by Arwin07

What is the current legislation or executive orders on mandatory under-run bars? Can any informed people or legal experts in this forum throw some light, please?

Yes, it is easier not to drive into the rear of a lorry/bus. But in those kinds of accidents, the victims should have a decent chance of survival instead of sure death. An under-run bar would give work for crumple zone and airbags saving lives instead of decapitating the poor victims when they are absent. Another aspect in such accidents is lack of brake lights or reflectors in the rear of lorry/buses.

If there is no legislation or if the implementation is poor, can we Team BHPians file a PIL?

Pic courtesy: https://m.dinamalar.com/detail.php?id=2270603


All 7 people (5 adults, 2 children) from Maharashtra died on the spot when their Swift Dzire hit the back of a lorry parked on road side near Ambur, TN.

Another accident where under-run bar would have saved atleast a few lives.
Overloaded car. So no chance of everyone wearing seatbelt.
Plus lack of underrun bar in the lorry means the back of the lorry body is at the head level of all car occupants. So head injury- more probability of death that too instantly.

RIP.

[kiku007]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

Very shocking. How drunk does a person have to be to do that? Must have been almost unconscious.

I've no idea what the realistic consequences of such an accident here are, but that driver should spend time in prison. And maybe never be allowed to drive again.

About time this thread is re-named to "Traffic crashes in India". DUI and committing manslaughter isn't = accident.

[msdivy]

Accident in Shamanuru-Harihara bypass near Davanagere - Couple from Bangalore dead.


Description in the paper itself is horrible to read. Husband sitting in front, wife right back him. Around 4 AM, driver dozed off and car went right into the guard rail, which pierced through the couple came out from the rear door. Driver escaped unhurt.

Link: https://www.prajavani.net/district/d...nt-634076.html

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by kiku007

About time this thread is re-named to "Traffic crashes in India". DUI and committing manslaughter isn't = accident.

Good point.

"Accident" has become the usual word for any crash involving vehicles. Accidents aren't really accidents: they happen for reasons, and the reasons are that somebody did something wrong. But we are stuck with the word.

Sure, it is the least applicable in this kind of case.