Is Safe Car Enough? Volvo Crash That Killed CEO, Family Sparks Big Question

The chilling crash of a Volvo SUV near Bengaluru yesterday, which claimed six lives, has sparked a conversation on how safe cars may not make a difference unless our roads are made safer. The Volvo XC90, considered the gold standard in car safety, was crushed by a container truck that jumped the divider on the Nelmangala-Tumkuru highway.

The victims have been identified as Chandram Yegapagol (48), his wife Gourabai (42), his son Gyan (16), daughter Deeksha (12) sister-in-law Vijayalakshmi (36) and Vijayalakshmi's daughter Arya (6). Chandram Yegapagol was the managing director and CEO of IAST Software Solutions, a Bengaluru-based automotive solutions firm, and had reportedly bought the SUV just two months back.

According to reports, the family was going to Sangli in neighbouring Maharashtra to meet Chandram's father. Police have told The Times of India that he was driving safely and was "not at fault".

Arif, the driver of the container truck, who suffered injuries in the accident, has told the media that the heavy vehicle jumped the divider while trying to save a car that stopped suddenly on the highway. "A car in front of me hit the brakes suddenly. When I hit the brakes, the truck kept going forward. To save the car, I swerved to the right and the truck jumped the divider," he said. The truck then hit the milk truck before crushing the Volvo behind it.

The driver said he was not aware of the fact that six people were killed in the accident. He said the truck was transporting aluminum. It must be pointed out that it is always difficult for loaded heavy vehicles to stop instantly because of their weight. This makes panic braking risky. The driver, Arif, has been booked for rash driving and death by negligence.

The accident has sparked a conversation on social media, with users pointing out that the safest of cars cannot save lives unless others on the road are driving safely.

DriveSmart, a handle promoting safe driving, shared shocking pictures from the accident site. "This pic is a reminder that being safer on the road is not achieved by a safer car alone. Safe Roads + Safe Driver + Safe Car: All three are essential for safety. All the passengers in this Volvo lost lives in this car which supposedly went through all types of testing," it said.

This pic is a reminder that being safer on the road is not achieved by a safer car alone.

Safe Roads + Safe Driver + Safe Car -->

All three are essential for safety.

All the passengers in this Volvo lost lives in this car which supposedly went through all types of testing. pic.twitter.com/7p52rs2btF — DriveSmart????️ (@DriveSmart_IN) December 21, 2024

Some users pointed out that while Volvo makes very safe vehicles, it is impossible for a car to withstand the weight of a container loaded with aluminum. Others have tagged Union Road Transport and Highways Minister to bring stricter rules to ensure road safety.

Senior police officer CK Baba has told Deccan Herald that six cranes had to be brought in to remove the heavily loaded truck from over the car. Then the bodies of the family members were brought out one by one from the crushed vehicle.

During a discussion on India's accident deaths in Lok Sabha in the ongoing Winter Session, Mr Gadkari said he has to hide his face at international conferences on road accidents. Referring to his target to reduce accidents by half when he took charge of the ministry, he said, "Forget about reducing the number of accidents, I have no hesitation to admit that it has been increased. When I go to attend international conferences where there is a discussion on road accidents, I try to hide my face."

The minister said that society has to change and the rule of law has to be respected if accidents have to be prevented. According to government data, over 1.7 lakh people died in road accidents last year. This is about 470 deaths every day and a majority of victims are in the 18-34 years age group.