Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway: Is Road Hypnosis Only Major Reason Of Accidents?

Mumbai-Nagpur Expressway, which is also know as Samruddhi Mahamarg, has been witnessing frequent accidents. Road hypnosis is a major issue faced by drivers on the path. Several reports state that it is a major reason for accidents.

This year, so far 855 accidents on the expressway have already taken place. On Wednesday, July 12, around 2:30 am, a luxury bus collided with a trailer from behind near Aurangabad. On board there were 30 passengers, 19 people, including an 11-year-old boy were injured. The bus was going from Nagpur to Pune.

Similarly, in another major accident on July 1, on the expressway, 25 people lost their lives and 8 suffered injuries. Vidharba Travels bus caught fire on the 701-kilometre-long expressway.

Additional Director General (Traffic) Ravinder Kumar Singal while addressing the current recurring accidents situation said overspeeding, driver fatigue and tyre bursts were the major reasons behind the accidents. He also accentuated making use of seat belts, as they are proven to be saviours under unfortunate times. “Considering that the road is huge, there is no rational reason for a collision from behind, apart from the driver’s sleepiness,” he said regarding Wednesday’s accident.

He proposed a log-in concept for avoiding accidents. He said just like abroad, here too, we should use a log-in system. The drivers would have to log in their driving hours and the system will enable road authorities to monitor the duration of driver shifts. “It will make it mandatory for the driver to log in with their license when required. Through the system road authorities will understand how many hours he has been driving,” Singal said.

On such accidental spots the sooner the ambulance reaches, it saves the lives of people. Speaking of medical assistance, the state government has decided to deploy air ambulances on the stretch. To facilitate the landing and take off of these air ambulances, 16 helipads will be built by the government.

In the wake of this, the administration has decided to dispatch air ambulances to transport the injured for medical facilities. This can help save the lives of persons who have suffered severe injuries. The move has been made to stop deaths brought on by treatment delays.

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has started a number of safety measures in an effort to lower accidents on the Samruddhi Mahamarg segment. To combat road hypnosis, colourful flags are being placed on the median, rumblers are being placed every 25 kilometres, and median accident barriers are being put in place. To increase safety awareness, the MSRDC is also implementing cautionary signage, reflective tapes, solar blinkers, and public announcement systems at toll plazas.

"We have put these measures in place to address the accidents happening on the Samruddhi Expressway, aiming to prevent road hypnosis," said Sanjay Yadav, joint managing director of MSRDC. Safety will be further improved by crash barriers, rumblers, and other safety devices. Toll plazas will make use of public announcement systems to remind cars to drive carefully. These attempts are being made because most accidents are caused by human mistakes, such as excessive expenditure, reckless driving, lane-changing, loss of control, faulty tyres, and overtaking from the incorrect sides, he further added.

Out of 855 accidents this year, 51 fatal accidents were recorded resulting in 106 fatalities.

Major Reasons Behind Accidents:

Professors and students from the Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) in Nagpur conducted a survey. From the survey, they identified four primary causes of accidents that are primarily the result of "human error": tyre blowouts, lane changes, monotonous driving, and animal crossings.