ABS brakes save the day, again, on an Indian highway!

The Indian highways are one of the most dangerous places to drive. A large number of accidents on the Indian roads is a proof that the highways are not safe. A recent incident from the Bangalore – Hyderabad highway tells us why the highways are so dangerous.

This video shows an SUV on the Bangalore-Highway stretch where it is doing a constant 100 – 110 km/h on an empty stretch. This is a closed stretch with steel guards on both sides of the road. Such guards are placed to stop the pedestrians and animals to cross the roads.

The driver of the vehicle spots an old lady crossing the road when he started braking and honking. As per the driver, the lady was looking at him while crossing the road and the driver expected her to stop. However, the lady continued walking across the road. The driver applied full brakes when he realised that she would not stop. The ABS kicked in multiple times and it was a downhill which delayed the stopping time.

The lady realised that a car is coming on her way at a high speed. Looking at the vehicle, she froze and stepped back. The driver swerved to the left to avoid any contact with the lady. Had it been night, the results would have been very different here as spotting someone at night becomes very difficult. Also, the stretch is empty, had there been another vehicle behind, it could have rear-ended the SUV under hard braking.

Many people cannot sense the speed of an oncoming vehicle, which could have been the case here. Also, short-sightedness can be the reason that she could not spot the vehicle earlier. These factors make the Indian highways extremely dangerous and prone to accidents. Thankfully the driver could bring the vehicle to stop in time and had a dashboard camera to record it all.

There have been previous incidents reported from the Indian highways where the villagers blocked the roads and held the motorists because of accidents due to jaywalking.

Here are a few tips that can keep you safe on the Indian highways:

1. Always slow down while crossing a stretch through towns of villages.
2. Keep an eye open for stray animals, they are very difficult to spot at night.
3. Always maintain the speed limit. Slower the speed, quicker you stop.
4. Overtake from the right-hand side, it gives a clear view and keeps you in the view of the other driver.
5. Never drive close to heavy vehicles like trucks and buses on the highway.
6. Never tailgate any other vehicle.

Source, Video