Days after a Maruti WagonR fell off an under-construction flyover in Uttar Pradesh, killing three, Google Maps has allegedly led another car into a canal near Barkapur village in UP. This time, three passengers escaped harm even when their Tata Tigor received significant damage. The accident occurred on the Bareilly-Pilibhit state highway. The occupants of the car were reportedly following Google Maps directions.
⏺️नहर में गिरी कार,तीनों युवक हुए घायल
⏺️कानपुर से दो दोस्तों के साथ पीलीभीत जा रहे थे
⏺️गूगल मैप बताया जा रहा है घटना की वजह
⏺️पुलिस ने स्थानीय लोगों की मदद से कार को बाहर निकाला
⏺️इज्जत नगर थाना क्षेत्र के कलापुर नहर की घटना@adgzonebareilly #bareilly #abcnewsmedia pic.twitter.com/M2k0YfZ0St— Abcnews.media (@abcnewsmedia) December 3, 2024
Reports say that the cause of this accident is the overreliance on Google Maps and GPS-based navigation. The White Tata Tigor driven by Divyanshu Singh from Auraiya was following Google Maps directions. It is however, not certain if navigation alone is to be held culpable for the mishap. Headed to Pilibhit, the Tigor soon reached an eroded section near the Kalapur canal, where it lost control and plunged into the canal.
Fortunately, the occupants managed to get out of the vehicle soon after the fall, without many injuries. Locals soon rushed to the scene and initiated the recovery and rescue procedures. The cops and authorities were alerted as well. The car was later recovered using a crane. The police have initiated a probe and will investigate the factors that led to the car ending up in the canal.
The Previous Incident
Recently, a Maruti Wagon R taxi was involved in a fatal crash in UP. It was going from Navadia to Khallpur when Google Maps guided it to a flyover that was under construction but with no warning signs or closures at the entry. The speeding car soon reached the dead end, and could not see the approaching danger, due to low visibility and lack of warning signs. It fell off the flyover into the river, killing three of its occupants.
The cab was travelling from Bareilly to Dataganj, and the occupants were on the way to attend a wedding and are said to have followed Google Maps for the fastest route before ending up in the Ramganga river. The bridge used to be functional till when a flood early this year destroyed it. The cops have filed charges against the Public Works Department contractors responsible for the section, for not putting proper closures, barricades or warning signs at the entrance and also against an unidentified Google Maps representative.
How To Be Safe While Travelling On Unknown Roads?
While travelling through unknown areas, places and roads, we depend heavily on navigations applications like Google Maps, Apple Maps and Waze. These are incredibly helpful and many of them have a ton of information on display, including even the position of speed trap cameras. However, we should not avoid total, blind dependence on these, and always maintain awareness of the surroundings. Work on developing a model in which you depend on Maps for directions even while maintaining proper situational awareness and keeping a sharp watch around.
The Maps and navigation applications can sometimes lack precision in some areas, or on certain roads. It may also be the case that the data isn’t always up to date. Thus it is necessary to keep a watch around to be on the safer side, even while navigating according to the on-screen instructions.
