Fog strikes again; 40 cars, SUVs & trucks in a MASSIVE crash pile-up

Many parts of North India continue to be blanketed with heavy fog. Driving/riding in such conditions can result in severe accidents, often with multiple fatalities. This is exactly what happened earlier today, at about 8 AM on the National Highway 1 near Karnal, Haryana. The fog-induced pile up saw nearly 40 cars, SUVs and trucks crashed into each other, in a massive pile-up that left 3 dead and over 20 critically injured.

This pile-up is the latest among many that have taken place in the last 3 months.  A car driver and two people on a motorcycle are among those killed. The ones seriously injured have been admitted to nearby hospitals in Karnal, Gharaunda and Panipat. The pile-up led to the National Highway 1 seeing a big traffic jam that lasted nearly an hour while rescue and recovery operations were on.

Why do such fog induced accidents repeat with alarming regularity in India?

Road users in India are unwilling to stay back in foggy conditions. Most drivers of cars, SUVs and trucks also don’t slow down adequately while driving in foggy conditions. These are perhaps the biggest reasons why fog related accidents repeat regularly during every winter in many parts of North India.

How can you avoid getting into such accidents?

Firstly, if possible, avoid driving/riding in extreme fog. This is the easiest and most effective precaution against such conditions.

Should you have no option but to drive out in fog, proceed very cautiously, and at speeds low enough for you to stop/change direction in time when you spot another vehicle in front, either broken down or involved in a fog-crash. Often, this means speeds under 40 Kph.

Invest in a good set of fog lamps (amber coloured ones), and keep them on while driving through fog. Also, make sure everyone wears seatbelts inside the car – the first layer of safety against any form of collision.