Non-adherence to lane discipline claimed the life of a young woman who was riding a two-wheeler near S.N. Junction in Thripunithura on Thursday, after a recklessly-driven bike overtook her from the left side and rammed her scooter, following which she fell on the road.
She was caught under the wheels of a private bus, soon after. The dashcam visuals that are said to have been obtained from the bus shows a motorbike rider suddenly entering the fast track of the road from the slow track, and intercepting her scooter from the left side, in order to take a U-turn. The two vehicles collide and she falls by her left side onto the road, only to be run over by the bus which was reportedly not maintaining sufficient distance from the row of vehicles that were going ahead on the fast track.
The Hill Palace Police identified the victim as Kavya of Nadakkavu, Udayamperoor. The police have charged the bike rider Vishnu of Kanjiramattom - a mechanic by profession, under Section 304-A (causing death by negligence) of IPC. His antecedents are being verified, since unconfirmed reports say he was involved in yet another fatal accident, they said.
This is a clear case of an accident which occurred due to non-adherence to lane discipline. The bike rider is primarily at fault, as per evidence from video footage, said Shaji Madhavan, Deputy Transport Commissioner (Central Zone). “Two-wheeler riders must keep to the slow track of the road as far as possible, especially in corridors like this which have four lanes. Zig-zagging and sudden change of track sans signalling well in advance can be disastrous, like in this accident.”
In addition, there must be adequate sign boards on the median to warn motorists of an impending U-turn. Those who take a turn must even then switch on their indicator light well in advance, to warn vehicles speeding from behind. Above all, vehicles within the city must operate at speed below 50 kmph, since pedestrians and other motorists can spring a surprise from any side, he added.
MVD sources said that the driving licence of the biker would be revoked in case it is found that he was involved in yet another fatal accident.
A bicycle rider had died in 2020 in an accident involving the same bike, driven by him.
Speaking of the innumerable accidents that are occurring in Ernakulam due to violation of lane-discipline norms, Bejoy Peter, a Motor Vehicle Inspector attached to the department’s enforcement wing said the accident could have been averted if the three vehicles involved in the accident had adhered to basic safety norms. “The general trend is that most vehicles keep to the fast track, to steer clear of vehicles parked on the slow track and buses that halt on the centre of the slow track to collect passengers.”
