Human error root of accidents

The ghastly traffic accident on Wednesday involving a tourist bus and a container truck that consumed six lives besides injuring a score of others, is a reminder that human element is the most crucial factor to be addressed if road mishaps have to be averted, prevented or avoided. As per the evidence so far available, it appears the container truck rammed into the sleeper bus carrying 33 passengers from behind after having jumped the divider on the National Highway 48 near Hiriyur.

Presumably, the deceased driver of the overspeeding container truck had either dozed off or was under the influence of alcohol while being on the wheels. A significant factor accounting for a vast number of mishaps--around 84 per cent, if a 2022 report is to be believed--is human error, particularly over-speeding and driver fatigue followed by factors related to poor vehicle maintenance and inadequate road infrastructure.

Long working hours, sleep deprivation and tight delivery schedules coming tied with performance incentives lead to drivers falling asleep at the wheels. Use of mobile phones, conversations with fellow drivers or passengers or adjusting of rear view mirror too serve as distractions thereby compromising safety. Truck drivers in India still come from the lowest literate sections of the society where driving is viewed more a function of brawn than brain.

This inevitably leads to recruitment of physically fit individuals capable of reckless manoeuvring which may involve a lethal combination of factors such as dangerous overtaking, lane-cutting and driving on the wrong side of the roads and making shortcuts. No wonder then why trucks are consistently identified as the vehicle type responsible for the highest share of vehicles causing fatal mishaps.

Of late, involvement of sleeper buses and loading of inflammable cargo too have increasingly come to the notice for causing higher fatality. In most such cases lack of alternative exit and perfunctory installation of fire safety devices sans maintenance enhances the potential of damage and deaths. The Hiriyur mishap will just add a number to the fatal accidents if long lasting solutions are postponed to a future date.