The bizarre road accident on the Pune-Mumbai expressway on Monday afternoon has once again highlighted how over-speeding is among the biggest reasons for serious road accidents in India. On Monday, a Mumbai-based businessman who was proceeding to Pune was killed due to no fault of his. It was a speeding truck which hit a Honda City going towards Mumbai from the rear, forcing the car to go out of control.
The car crossed over to the opposite lane and hit the businessman’s Honda City, which in turn collided with a state transport bus, resulting in the tragic death of the businessman.
Less than a fortnight ago, a bus carrying schoolchildren from Kolhapur to Pune hit a column of the Amrutanjan Bride in which 15 people, including schoolchildren, were injured. Such was the impact of the collision that the bus was thrown off its balance and fell on its side.
Over-speeding, lane indiscipline, design faults, rash and drink-driving are the major reasons for road accidents on the expressway, which actually is one of the safest roads due to multiple lanes and clear segregation of two-way traffic. Between May-July 2011, as many as 74 accidents were reported on the expressway with 21 fatalities. Although 80 kmph is the maximum speed limit on the expressway, this is actually the minimum speed at which most vehicles ply.
Many drivers take pride in over-speeding and boasting that they crossed the distance between Pune and Mumbai in record time. All drivers need to understand that vehicles can turn into killer machines within seconds with devastating consequences. It is for us to drive safely and surely, not recklessly.
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