[anujmishra]

I was reading a thread on Team-BHP "How Safe if Innova?". I wanted to put some point in that thread on blaming some vehicles for accident. But after my writeup, I thought I should start a thread about most common reason for accidents in India. However, there must be in many places reasons were written for accidents by many other writers. But this is highlighting some common mistakes done by driver on the road which results loss of valuable lives.

IMHO accident is not related to Innova, Corrola, Scorpio or any other car. There are 90 percent of accident happened due to negligence of driver, Outside of car as well as Inside of car.

Outside of car means

1. Unneccesary Maneouvering: Maneouvering car on highway like Michael Shumacher (or filmy style). This is one of the dangerous act which result nothing less than toppling of vehicle.

2. Close overtaking: This is one of the dangerous act on highway I can see. Drivers just put fate of their and passengers on the hand of god and overtake vehicles on highway. Driver should learn to be patient on highway while overtaking. Let the oncoming vehicle pass and there should be no other vechicles on the line of sight before one should do overtaking.

3. Unable to predict behaviour: Most of the drivers are unable to predict behaviour of their own car and other vehichles on road. Most of the driver do not know what is the strength of brakes and other mechanical parts of his car, how far it takes to stop after applying break at some speed. They also should aware of behaviour of trucks and buses plying on road. Driver should know the brakes of trucks and buses are Air Brakes and they should not go dangerously near to moving truck or buses from behind.

4. Lack of Broad vision on road: Driver not able to see parked vehicles or stationary objects some 100 - 200 meters away from current position. They see just few meters ahead of car. Eyes of driver should work like Upper and Dipper of headlights of car and can switch in no moment.

5. Condition of Indian Roads and Speed: Most of the indian cars can be easily accelarated to 100Kmph speed without much effort. BUT the question is, "Are Indian roads is that reliable?". In my opinion "Absolutely No". We are some 100 years behind from developed country's road condition and culture. Indian roads are not good for speed more than 80 Kmph at the max that too on highway. Better to be safe than sorry.

6. Defying Lane Driving and Pedestrian culture: In India people never give thought to lane driving and respecting pedestrians & bicycle riders. Lane driving is the safest driving technique. Even in Delhi where lane driving is forced lawfully but you can find drivers very often defying lane. Drivers do not know what is the zebra crossing means.

7. Mixing of alcohol with driving: I thinkI do not need to explain much on this point. Result people can read in news papers on daily basis.

8. Condition and Maintenance of Vehicle: Mantaining vehicle is one of most neglected part from the side of driver. Many times commercial vechicle owner also do not pay attention to maintain vehicles properly. This type of vehicles include CAB, Taxi, Trucks, Buses etc.
Most of trucks, cabs, buses do not have proper brake & brake light, back light, indicators, reflectors, ORVMs, proper headlight, tyres with tread etc. This will make difficulties most to the drivers of other vehicles than themselves.

Buses of BMTC (Bangalore Metropoliton Transport Corporation) has left and right ORVMs smaller than of most of the bike's rear view mirror. I do not know how the drivers of those buses magnify rear view by looking into those ORVM. Absolute negligence from the side of government.


Inside of Car:

Not Wearing Seat Belt: The big mistake is not wearing Seat Belts. I think most people do not wear seat belts because of Ego Problem. They think themselves not less than Formula One Driver and they are overconfident on his own skills. Also in India there is not much of the awareness about benefits of Seat Belts in the car leaving some educated class. Please remember, most of the cab, taxi drivers comes not from the educated or elite class.

Let us spread awarenesss of SafeDriving. Let the driver know that they have much more to do in life than just driving reckless manner and cutting short of his own and others life.

Please add some more points if you feel so. This may not be exhaustive list but should be startup.

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[VJ_MAVRICK]

In my opinion this is also a major reason for accidents :lacking respect to traffic signal rules and being disciplined on the road.

[anujmishra]

Originally Posted by VJ_MAVRICK

In my opinion this is also a major reason for accidents :lacking respect to traffic signal rules and being disciplined on the road.

Absolutely correct, respecting traffic signals should be must. This would not come by force but from inner self.

[aaggoswami]

The cause of Accidents is simple.

1)
Lack of high moral attitude India. Mostly people forget that others also have a right to survive.

2)
Indiscipline cultivated into blood.

[sriturl]

According to me it is
1. Lack of awareness
2. Lack of enforcement

Both go hand in hand.
How many times do you see a Police man, who understands the rule by letter and spirit?
And how many times do you see them enforcing the rule, which they understand?

If the enforcement increases, awareness(in public) automatically increases.
To increase enforcement, there should be awareness in enforcement authorities(RTA and Police)

Often times, I see traffic police sending drivers in the wrong way( Particularly at circles, where they have go round the circle to take a U turn) That is certainly lack of awareness.
Sometimes, they send in wrong way to clear the traffic in a hurry, but they do not understand the broader implications like the same driver next day feels that it is nothing wrong in doing it because yesterday the policeman has sent me the wrong way.

There should be a consistent and lawfully correct way to enforce rules by letter and spirit.
I do not see a reason why people will fall in line, if that is done.

[Superleggera]

According to me, the

1. Driver's attitude
2. Negligence
3. Rash Driving

[vennarbank]

Reasons are
1. Not thinking about other vehicles on the road
2. Not knowing the rules.
3. Simple incompetence
4. DUI.

[Torqy]

You forgot to add the following options...and you cannot club them into "other". They deserve a place of their own. (Hall of fame)

1. Stupidity
2. Oversmart Drivers
3. Drivers with underdeveloped brains (they drive the same as oversmart drivers)
4. Lack of common sense
5. Inability to use / apply what they learnt from school.
6. Stupid Indian mentality of "Why should i wait?"
7. Difficulty in understanding the concept of a Queue
8. Stupid traffic police
9. Idiotic city / road planners
10. Lack of proper road signs (Where on earth will you see a direction which resembles a paper clip?)

[diwa]

I can add a couple more

1. Under-age driving (Kids below the age of 18 without a license)
2. Street racing

[opendro]

Number one reason is inexperienced/unskilled driving. Second is negligent and dangerous driving (including distractions). Very rarely due to fault in the car.

[joseph5600]

Originally Posted by Torqy

You forgot to add the following options...and you cannot club them into "other". They deserve a place of their own. (Hall of fame)

1. Stupidity
2. Oversmart Drivers
3. Drivers with underdeveloped brains (they drive the same as oversmart drivers)
4. Lack of common sense
5. Inability to use / apply what they learnt from school.
6. Stupid Indian mentality of "Why should i wait?"
7. Difficulty in understanding the concept of a Queue
8. Stupid traffic police
9. Idiotic city / road planners
10. Lack of proper road signs (Where on earth will you see a direction which resembles a paper clip?)

I would like to add a few more to this.

BMTC Bus drivers (Bangalore Specific)
Autorikshaw drivers
Cab Drivers
Chauffeurs of Private cars when the owner is not there in the car

In general, these are the people who dont know the meaning of 'Road Etiquettes'. If all these above people are not there in the streets 75% of the accidents can be avoided.

[anujmishra]

Originally Posted by joseph5600

I would like to add a few more to this.
BMTC Bus drivers (Bangalore Specific)
Autorikshaw drivers
Cab Drivers

These local buses not only limited to Bangalore. However, I cannot forget the incident when my 2 of the friends had met accident on Hosur Road, Bangalore because of BMTC Bus. One of them died and other survived.

Everybody must be aware of Delhi & NCR's Blue line buses. Recently, I went to Delhi and I saw condition of those blue line buses are horrible. In most of buses the iron sheet of body material came out dangerously. Even one touch those buses will result some damage in their body.

Only almighty can save from these ill conditioned buses.

Originally Posted by Torqy

1. Stupidity
2. Oversmart Drivers
3. Drivers with underdeveloped brains (they drive the same as oversmart drivers)
4. Lack of common sense
5. Inability to use / apply what they learnt from school.
6. Stupid Indian mentality of "Why should i wait?"
7. Difficulty in understanding the concept of a Queue
8. Stupid traffic police
9. Idiotic city / road planners
10. Lack of proper road signs (Where on earth will you see a direction which resembles a paper clip?)

Your most of the reason comes under ego problem or attitude problem.

Yes, road sign is one of the main reason. At least in bangalore, We cannnot sure many times, if the road sign is there, then is that fake or real? Peoples themselves put many signs on the road like, One way, Road Closed (Even they close the road by putting big rock in between road), funniest would be fake "No Parking" every where.

[lancer&shogun]

But in most case its because "Influence of Alocohol"

[Surprise]

Most of the accidents occur due to

1. RASH OVERTAKING
2. FATIGUE (ESP NIGHT DRIVING)

I had seen lot of drivers inspite of knowing that they cannot complete the overtake, they do attempt it. In most cases the vehicle coming in the opposite direction will move towards extreme left to accommodate the overtaking vehicle subjected to the width of the road. Else they will brake hard and attempt to stop well ahead to allow the overtaking vehicle pass through.

When the oncoming vehicle fails to do so or cannot properly judge the distance, its a sure head-on.

Night driving on undivided roads is not at all advisable as many of these yellow board drivers were forced to drive for days together without rest. And obviously 2-5 time band will give them a tough time. Guys who fails to withhold the temptation will even pinch the driver+occupant coming in opp direction for no fault of theirs

[sumeethaldankar]

One of the reasons is not following road rules and manners.
eg driving in a zig zag manner,overtalking from the left,rushing into a
cross road section without atleast slowing down forget stopping,
thinking there is no vehicle beside or behind you ie changing lanes without
looking at the mirrors etc.

In general i feel accidents are caused by begin hasty behind the wheel.

Best it to follow the rule is never to be hasty while driving
or gaadi chalte samay jalda baji acchi nahi