[itsbaman]

Voted for others. We Indians follow the herd mentality. Why people are buying Creta and Seltos despite having pathetic safety ratings, because everyone else is buying them. Creta and Seltos aren't cheap, and we have plenty of safer vehicles for far less price. My neighbor, my colleague, and my friend are having Creta or Seltos, so I should buy that too.

A car is like a status symbol for most people, and a safety rating doesn't matter to them. We are prioritizing road presence and features over safety. Fortuner despite being inferior to Endeavour, kept outselling Endy. Why? Because it is a symbol of power.

My point, people will buy a less safe car if it increases their status in society. I am not taking away the safety aspect of Fortuner.

[Clayton Crasto]

Originally Posted by John

I went with "just don't care about safety" Having worked many many years on shop floors and project sites, I have first hand experienced this apathy towards safety, inspite of people being made aware, trained and being provided all the safety equipment. Typical 'chalta hai' attitude.

I voted the same and fully agree with you. We Indians just don't care about safety even if it has been thoroughly thought to us, or even if we have experienced an incident. The second other reason I would go with is lack of awareness. Let me point out a small observation regarding use of Hazard Lights.

I was in Amboli yesterday, driving on foggy roads with my Polo's fog lamps on. I noticed how most of the drivers were using hazard lights instead of fog lamps. A Vento having Fog lights was driving just with hazards, and so was a Mercedes CLA, along with its DRLs.! So it's definitely not the question of the car not having the necessary features here, but probably a lack of awareness on the actual use of hazard lights.
In the U.A.E, the police used to announce strict fines on the use of hazard lights while driving through the fog, which usually covers the country during the onset of winter. These kind of measures are the only way to curb this lackadaisical attitude that we have.

[darthvader001]

We Indians follow the herd mentality. Why people are buying Creta and Seltos despite having pathetic safety ratings, because everyone else is buying them. Creta and Seltos aren't cheap, and we have plenty of safer vehicles for far less price. My neighbor, my colleague, and my friend are having Creta or Seltos, so I should buy that too.

Hi, this statement that Indians have herd mentality is not correct. In that case Americans majorly buy iPhones (though year on year there is not much change in the device). Similarly other countries too with other products. Herd mentality is there across the world.

Hyundai, Kia, Suzuki etc. are popular in India because of their network, reach and nation wide service centers. Any local garage can handle them too unlike Citroën, Skoda, MG etc. But one thing I agree in your argument is that people are not serious about the safety ratings and regardless of it they're purchasing. This needs to change.

[Brishti]

Of Course we Indians care about our safety just ask the one to several gods residing in all our cars.

I once told a cousin to buy a car based on NCAP rating and number of airbags and his reply was if "I did not crash then what is the point of all this extra money put in the car, its waste of money."

[aveoman19]

Voted for the following options:
- Lack of awareness about safety and why it’s important.

The fact that people still sit on the seats and don't even think of fastening the seatbelt as if they are sitting on a couch at home, is frankly quite disturbing.

- The govt doesn't prioritize and push safety enough.

Increasing the mandatory number of airbags in vehicles will not help what is basically a structurally unsafe vehicle. Manufacturers will need to prove their worth in terms of meeting crash test norms and it is the Government's responsibility to ask for the same.

Basic things like helmet and seatbelt to be worn/fastened by all passengers, heavy fines for people who break the rule etc., have to be strictly enforced.

- Vehicle manufacturers don't prioritize and push safety enough.

Panoramic sunroof, alexa, wireless charging and LED everything is being prioritised by vehicle manufacturers. Not safety. If manufacturers don't prioritize giving the end users passive and active safety features as standard, the public will have very less option to chose a safe vehicle. In 2022, the majority of car manufacturers shamelessly still give lap belts for the rear middle passenger seat!

[Sarvodaya]

What safety will we teach to these people?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v657gpH_4Dg&t=3s

[Yash390]

I'm not allowed to vote yet but I would say - Just don't care about safety / Don't want to think about safety. This is going to be a long post/rant so bear with me, and grab some popcorn if you like.

Indian roads are a really scary place to be. As an automotive enthusiast, India is just not the place to live in. I absolutely love driving and riding but with the ever increasing number of dangerous drivers on the roads, I am actually scared whenever I head out. I am a defensive driver in all aspects but even that is not enough in our country. Safety, what is that ?

I am not proud of the fact, and I'd like to admit that I learnt riding motorcycles and driving cars in eight grade, at the young and immature age of 13 years old. When I look back, I feel ashamed that I was so stubborn that I got what I wanted. I learnt driving and riding from my family driver and my parents always scolded me about it but I never listened, the thrill of speed was far too important for me.

By 10th grade, I was regularly sneaking out in our XUV500 on short adrenaline fuelled night drives while mom was busy preparing dinner. Racing on public roads, overtaking each and every vehicle with absolutely no regard for safety. Now that I think of those days, I curse myself because of the stupidity I enjoyed back then. In 11th grade, I got an Activa 125 for tuition commute and the recklessness continued. Was super into cars and bikes, got decent gloves and a good helmet but the unsafe behaviour continued.

Only in 2018 when I got a Duke 390, the coward in me kicked in and told me to calm down. Became a sedate driver after realising what can go wrong and it's just a matter of life and death when one decides to become reckless. Since then, I've never been in a hurry to reach my destination. I just cruise at a safe speed and love it when I get excellent fuel economy along with peace of mind.

I don't feel comfortable even as a passenger in anyone's car now. I hardly sit as a passenger with my friends as all of them are pathetic drivers. They drive good cars, are well educated, have good jobs but they don't know the 'S' of Safety. 3 months back, my friends decided to go to Chandigarh for a fun weekend. Dehradun to Chandigarh is a decent highway of 220kms. I had been on that road earlier and did that stretch in a bit more than 3 hours at a constant safe cruising speed, no hurries, no worries. Little did I know, I was going to have the drive of my lifetime. We were 4 people in a spanking new Taigun 1.0 TSI AT and I was hearing things like "dabaa dabaa" (push the pedal to the metal) from the other two passengers and we were regularly doing 140-150km/h, which is plain suicidal. I requested my friend to slow down and asked him what's the hurry. He simply said that a fast car is meant to be driven fast and anyway it's a highway. I tried convincing him but I failed. And guess what, we covered the distance in the same time I do, a bit more than 3 hours.

Nobody cares about safety, absolutely no person in this country.
At the end of the day it is my life and I choose to protect myself from the dangers. I don't just drive safe, or wear ₹80k riding gear or my seatbelt(irrespective of where I'm sitting) because I'm afraid of being fined. I do those things because I love my life and am eagerly waiting for what's to come in the future. Here are some common everyday practises that drive me crazy -

1. In my city, I think driving/riding without a phone in the hand is considered an offense, that's why people do that. Everyone is talking on the phone, be it a 20yrs old barebones Maruti or a ₹2cr German with Bluetooth/wireless Android Auto or CarPlay.

2. So many cars on the roads with their ORVMs folded, drivers just don't know what they're meant for. Same case with two wheelers, riders think that the RVMs are supposed to be removed/twisted inwards on the delivery day itself.

3. No lane discipline - The less said about it, the better. In city roads, at low speeds, it is still bearable. However even on 6 lane highways where cars are flying at dangerous speeds, people change lanes like it's nobody's business.

4. My biggest pet peeve
Stopping on the side of the road - Taking up almost 40% of the width of the road and that too stopped/parked without any reason whatsoever. I have seen this practice in many posts on this forum as well. I request everyone to stop their vehicles only on the road shoulder and then do whatever it is. Shoulders are there for a reason and even if it is not an emergency - to have a snack, rest, take photos etc, provided you use your hazard lights. There is a purpose of lane markings and demarcations, follow them and stop your car only when your tires are completely well to left of the white solid strip

5. Second biggest pet peeve
Senseless use of hazard lights - This is an ever increasing nuisance in two wheelers nowadays. Many new scooters are providing a hazard light switch and the imbecile riders keep it on just for fun. Although it is a safety feature, it is a very dangerous and confusing provision due to the brainless motorists who don't know its purpose. Have seen several people riding ₹20L bikes doing the same thing. Just why ?

6. Not using blinkers - Not a worry in the world, turn wherever you desire, we're all immortals.

I'll go out on a limb and say this. As much as I would like good smooth roads in our cities, I'd rather prefer a combination of good drivers + poor(the current state) roads over the deadly commination of good roads + reckless drivers.

Speaking from my experience of 35k kms on four wheelers and 60k kms on two wheelers, the above are the things I've observed which have helped me improve as a road user.

Cheers, drive safe !

[antz.bin]

Originally Posted by aveoman19

In 2022, the majority of car manufacturers shamelessly still give lap belts for the rear middle passenger seat!

M&M is the most shameless of them all. XUV300 came with 3 point seat belt for rear middle passenger in the initial batches. They earned brownie points for this in their reviews. And then it was promptly removed.

Even the bigger and probably more expensive XUV400 is not getting it.

M&M wants to show off it's safety credentials by having all their cars crash tested and 4*+ but it is also resorting to such cheap tricks. How much money are they saving with this? Will the customer ask or care if the car is ₹500 more expensive?

[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by antz.bin

How much money are they saving with this? Will the customer ask or care if the car is ₹500 more expensive?

Interesting question. And the answer can be found in this lovely book by Arthur Hailey, written in 1971. Called Wheels. Set in MoTown. Detroit. And the production of a Super Special Car. It is very interesting, the way the bean counters in big Auto, think.
Here is an excerpt from the book, Chapter 7 to be exact.

“In auto construction, five dollars was a major sum, and auto manufacturers thought normally in pennies, shaving two cents here, a nickel there, necessary because of the immense total numbers involved.”

— Wheels by Arthur Hailey
https://amzn.in/jdg85gg

[sandeep108]

Philosophically maybe is it because the average person in India does not have a good quality of life? Or is there a lot of belief in fate/karma? Or is it easy to blame others for endless rules and regulations and therefore these need to be avoided to get anywhere in life? Is it because of there not being enough to go around leads us to grab, always want more and push ahead at any cost? Does that also explain our penchant for 'jugaad'? Or is it the belief that being civil, polite or considerate will never let us get ahead in life?

Maybe some or all of the above in varying degrees.

[drive1987]

Smoked-out effect, Gangsta Look, Sportyness, I get all that. But, for all the aforementioned, we don't think how much does this impact "Safety" ?

Today, while driving on the Kanakapura Road, I saw this Brezza guy, look at his "overdone" smoked-effect to the extremely important entire tail/rear lamps. Literally speaking, when he was applying brakes / putting on indicators, I had very tough time noticing them. They lights were almost not visible. I was just thinking, what is stuffed into their brains?

[Beemer1077]

It is a mixed bag of different nuts.

On one hand, the Government authorities need to work on their driving tests - only making a circle shape in a controlled environment is not sufficient enough to state that one is capable of driving - it is following the right rules on the streets, observing speed limits, real life driving scenarios, giving way to pedestrians etc.

On the other hand, those wanting licenses are unable to get it due to document issues, thus they resort to committing frauds and get licenses without testing. Thus, those who have license but no experience behind the wheel, drive with insanity, eventually putting their and others lives on the line.

Other than that, we can surely blame the Government for not fixing craters on the roads, improper signages, insufficient infrastructure to pedestrians and bicyclists, and medical infrastructure.

[electric_eel]

I voted for other. My hunch is that lack of safe driving comes from an even more fundamental problem; lack of safety awareness in general even among the so called educated elite. Just look around at our fire safety record. Does any thought go into fire safety of buildings. Even when the newer buildings have basic safety features like fire exists and extinguishers, do we check the fire safety equipment, have safety drills, and for god sake at the very least keep the fire exits unlocked.

What about crowed control during festivals, gatherings, political rally etc ? The same dismal standards.

Safety is, like everything else, a combination of product and process. We are lacking on both of these counts.

[HowDifferent?]

I believe that it is our don't care a world attitude as a society which results in lack of safe practices, indisciplined driving and many such. And do not see this changing in the next generation also unfortunately..

[Dr.Abhi]

A nice article on road safety by an automobile magazine emphasizing defensive driving mindset. Must go through.

https://www.autocarindia.com/auto-bl...e-truth-431919