Cyrus Mistry’s death triggers debate on road safety in India

New Delhi: The death of former chairman of Tata Sons Cyrus Mistry in a road accident near Palghar in Maharashtra has triggered a debate on road safety. Experts have pressed for the need to keep a check on speeding vehicles and making the use of seat belts for rear passengers mandatory.

Cyrus Mistry was not wearing his seatbelt at the time when the Mercedes-Benz GLC in which he was travelling hit a divider of a bridge over River Surya, a primary probe has revealed. He was sitting on the rear seat. He was killed on the spot. His death has triggered yet another debate on seatbelt laws in India.

CCTV footage of Cyrus Mistry's car moments before it crashed

Police in Maharashtra's Palghar district have obtained the CCTV footage of the ill-fated Mercedes car in which Cyrus Mistry, former chairman of Tata Sons, was travelling to Mumbai, shortly before it crashed, killing him and his friend, an official said, PTI reported. The footage shows the car passing through the Dapchari check post in Palghar district at 2.21 pm on Sunday, he said. The car hit a road divider on a bridge over the Surya river on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway at around 3 pm, killing Mistry (54) and his friend Jahangir Pandole on the spot.

3 major takeaways from Sunday's accident in which Cyrus Mistry was killed

Chief Scientist, Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), New Delhi, S Velmurugan told PTI that there are three major takeaways from Sunday's accident.

1) Roads, especially highways, must have consistent designs

2) Highways must have proper signages.

3) Awareness about wearing seat belts in the rear and enforcement of the law.

Experts have also stressed that roads in Delhi should have consistent designs to avoid any accidents.

"Inconsistency in road design can be spotted at a few stretches in the national capital which include Eastern and Western Peripheral expressways, Outer Ring Road, Ring Road among others. For example, at some points a six-lane road reduces into a four-lane stretch and uneven surfaces can also be witnessed at many locations. These issues pose a threat to driving and shall be done away with," Chief Scientist, Central Road Research Institute (CRRI), New Delhi, S Velmurugan told PTI.

According to International Road Federation (IRF), India accounts for more than 11 per cent of the road accidents deaths worldwide with 426 lives lost  every day and 18 every hour.

Top 10 accident prone areas in the national capital

The top accident prone 10 areas are Mukarba Chowk, intersection of Outer Ring Road and Wazirabad Road near Signature Bridge, Nirankari Chowk, Seelampur Chowk, Peeragarhi Chowk, Azadpur Chowk, Outer Ring Road in front of Rohini court near Madhubani Chowk, Dabri crossing roundabout, intersection of Grand Trunk Road and Main Libaspur Road and Punjabi Bagh Chowk.