[aaggoswami]

I was witness to this accident ( i.e. this accident happened ) on around 1st of Feb or 31st Jan. Dont remember the date as I am too tied down to work.

Four of us, Me, Mom, My sister and neighbour Aunt, were travelling in our Waggie driven by me. We were going to one Laksh-Chani yagna that my uncle had organized.

While to mom's place, we have a standard place in Tarapur where we stop. I did spot the same occupants of micra crash at that restaurant. Had tea, snacks and we were off again. I was driving at around 100-110 which I normally do on that road. It was now a single strip road without any road divider. Work for widening the road is on going even now, but the available road width is just sufficient for two trucks to pass by. Not very narrow, but not very wide either.


After around 35 kms. from that restaurant, took a left from Vataman Chowkdi while noticing that the Micra which was also taking a break at the same restaurant was quickly becoming larger and larger in my RVM. I was already late to start from home and aim was to reach my uncle's place quickly by around 10-30 am.

After the shart 90 degree turn, again I was in my normal zone driving at 100-110 with micra hanging on behind me. Now I overtook two trucks in one go while other was coming in the opposite lane. While overtaking I did accelerate and was later on reducing speed.

I could safely clear that and after coming into my lane again, just looked into my ORVM and Micra was in wrong lane ( read overtaking ) but smoke was coming from tyres. I realized that he is braking hard.
Within one second or so, I saw that the truck and Micra crash Head ON, truck's left side door opened and a few people jumped out.
All this happened within seconds, literally in seconds.

I braked and turned my car towards accident spot which was not even 50 mtrs from where I braked. Stopped behind the truck which crashed, came out of my car and while walking towards micra, I could smell burnt rubber, yes it had just crashed I along with my sister reached the spot.

As soon as I reached the spot, a young guy probably of my age was standing near the driver door and was bleeding from face. The rear doors then open and two ladies came out.
By this time I had made a call to 108 giving precise description of location. The young guy game me his phone to talk to his family member. This was while I was talking on phone on 108. Handed phone of the guy to my sister, but even my sister could not talk, so I did. His family member asked if anybody is injured, to which I replied that only few minor injuries. He was a bit tense and said that another car has left from Surat for the occupants of Micra. I informed him that what has to be done will be done, and that he need not take any tension.


A few moments later, I asked the driver ( the young guy was not driving ) to come out with hand signals, but I doubted whether he was able to analyze what I was trying to tell him. So I opened the driver door and some noises did come as the panel was interfearing with normal operation of door. I was very cautious not to be quick as any spark could lead to fire.

Still the driver was not coming out, so I adjusted his seat back so he could get some space. Even then after, I had to assit driver in coming out. By this time a few villagers had gathered around asking if call to 108 has been made. I was rather busy handling crowd now. But they were not aggressive.

A few truck drivers did ask if some is injured and need to be taken to hospital. A very nice gesture. An i20 came, stopped near micra and almost hitting a few villagers in process. A young person with black goggles emerged, and after surveying the situation, reversed his car and again he almost hit me, then sped off.

A few cars did slow down asked if somebody is injured, but I replied NO, its all under control and assistance is coming.
By this time the driver of Micra was shivering and having difficulty in breathing. He was not ready to leave the car on highway to which we all replied, forget the car for now.
A jain lady Saint ( those who walk barefooted on highways ) offered some powder to the injured micra guy so that bleeding would slow down. Out of two ladies, one was wife of the injured guy. She was almost crying but I could not talk as I was busy replying to villagers and passers by.

After 15 minutes of crash Ambulance arrived and I had word some official in ambulance. The Micra driver's condition was worsening, he could not even stand straight. We asked him to forget about car and get treatment. Apparently neither the guy nor the driver were wearing belts and moreover, the airbag did the damage to driver. When I opened his door, I could still have some burning smell ( out of inflation of airbag ). So he had internal injuries I think.

What I observed :

• Out of two ladies, one was elder to both, the injured guy and his wife. Initially I ( honestly ) thought that she is having ego thats why not taking any decision or speaking very less. But later on, I observed that she was not even wearing footwear while standing outside car. She was so shocked that whenshe came out of car, she forgot to wear footwear. Literally she was in shock and not Ego. Wrong thinking from side.

• The guy was mostly not wearing seatbelts. He had hit the windscreen and his face was quite injured. Apparently he was also shocked.

• It was me asking the villagers not to speak too much and be calm. Apparently all asked me to dial 108. I had done that 6-7 times, and everytime I would reply Yes, I had made a call.

• NO traffic sense. When the ambulance was barely 10 mtrs. from accident spot, a Swift driver even after indication from ambulance to stop, just drove on. All were angry.

• Not wearing seatbelt was wrong move. I could surely say that even driver was not wearing seatbelts. When I helped him come out, he was belted.

• The impact was so great that even the battery sheared off.

• The driver was the one who led the micra to crash, but he was committed to braking like hell. Believe me, if he had been even a second late to brake, the story would have been different.

• The truck driver did try his best and had moved to left side of road as much as possible. But still it was Micra which could not brake in straight line. If Micra could have braked in staright line, they could have avoided a major crash, may be just brushing again truck or not even that.

• I lost 30 mins, but that was necessary. After this accident, my speed came down to a sane 90 from 110.

[Nikhilb2008]

Glad to see that none of the occupants were too badly injured. On one level it seems they were asking for trouble by not wearing seatbelts.

Really nice that you helped them out so much. Kudos to you!

[mayankjha1806]

I am terrified looking at the pictures, if folks have escaped with minor injuries they should thank almighty. I am hoping everyone in the car is fine now, Thanks to your presence of mind and help.

Seat-belts!, this just highlights the importance of them, in situations like these.

[advaitlele]

First of all, kudos to you for what you did.
You didnt lose your cool or common sense and helped out the crashed occupants. Time and our personal commitments can always take back seat in situations like this.

Seatbelts -- well, well, We have to beat the same point I dont know how many times till sanity and commonsense prevails. As they say, it takes only one lose nut to decide between life and death, between safe drive and accident. Almost all times, that lose nut is behind the steering wheel.

Looking at the pictures and the impact Micra has withstood, the driver and other occupants should thank someone up there to still be alive.

[ghodlur]

@aggoswami,

Hats off to you for your instincts and your willingness to help. You did really take control of the situation which could have got out of control with the villagers.

Its really bad to know that inspite of so many accidents & loss of life, people still dont want to use the seat belts. Was the Micra shifted to an alternative place to ease the traffic? Did the Micra not have passenger side airbag, if so did it not get activated? Was the impact to the Driver mainly from the steering wheel inspite of the air bag activation?

I hope the guy recovers fast.

[R. Kotwal]

This really was a straight on collision. It was fantastic of you to have rushed in to help. Seems that the hard breaking brought down the impact momentum,- and therefore lesser injuries. You said that the car did not brake in a straight line,- the pictures show differently as the car crashed head on during an aborted overtaking manuever?

[gauravdgr8]

This is sad and shocking to see. Hope all goes well for the family.

The first thing I do as a practise after staying in Mumbai for years is to wear seat belts without fail and so does my wife if sitting in front.

[amitwlele]

Kudos aaggoswami for the help that you provided and did the duty of a responsible citizen. It would have been so very easy for you to drive off.

If i understood the situation correctly the Micra guy followed you in the overtaking of the 2 trucks. Is that right? I think that is also something which should never be done. Unless you have a clear view of the road ahead overtaking is a risky proposition.

Not wearing seat belts. is all i can do.

[DevilsCry]

aggoswami, many thanks to you for keeping your cool among the shouting crowd & rash drivers and for helping the victims selflessly.

I suppose if the Micra had airbag then it must have had ABS too. This shows how ABS can save lives!

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Did the Micra not have passenger side airbag, if so did it not get activated? Was the impact to the Driver mainly from the steering wheel inspite of the air bag activation?

1. I think there's a variant of Micra which doesn't have passenger side airbag. The passenger was lucky that he was not thrown out the car.
2. The driver was most probably not wearing seat-belt. The impact was not from steering wheel, but from the airbag. He's lucky that the airbag didn't kill him.

[mayankjha1806]

One thing that i liked in those pictures is the Crumple zones have worked wonderfully, at least in the pictures that's what it seems. Everything in front of windscreen is completely crashed, but windscreen is looking fine, also the internals of the car are looking ok, when compared with the front of the car.

If-only-if folks had been wearing seat belts it could have been a scratch free accident for their bodies.

[Swanand Inamdar]

Looking at the 1st snap, I was expecting a much ghastly result, than the one that took place. Glad to see that none was seriously injured.

Not wearing seatbelts is a major pain, but sadly thats the majority of the people in our country. Sure these people must've learnt their lesson and would belt up, the moment they sit in a car.

Kudos to you @aagoswami. What a lovely gesture on your behalf. Humanity, afterall is not dead. Hold your head high up! Well done.

[phamilyman]

You did a great job my man.

The car held up brilliantly - textbook instruction on crumple zones.

I hope the SUV types who use bullbars are reading.

[AWD]

So the Micra turns out to be a real safe car. If the car came with ABS, crash could have been averted & if the drive wore seat belt, injuries could have been prevented.

Im mighty impressed with the small car though, can't ask for more! These are real world conditions & the car just managed to save precious lives.

[anachronix]

ABS could have easily saved this situation here!

Kudos to Aagoswami, great job in supporting the folks who were injured!

[Jignesh]

Sincerely appreciate Aaggoswami's gesture & presence of mind.

Also thank God as passengers of Car escaped with minor injuries.

But, just a question here, if the Driver & companion were not wearing seat belts, then why they did not hit the front windshield? If that would have happened the scene would be totally different.

Also Aaggoswami, what happend in next couple of days? I mean was the Car towed away? Have the occupants recovered from shocked?

Don't know how many lives & how many accidents will pass before people start strictly wearing seat belts.

May the good sense prevail.