A routine wait at a Bengaluru traffic signal turned fatal after a speeding Maruti Baleno crashed into a scooter and three stationary cars, killing a 33-year-old hairstylist.
The incident occurred at the Vignananagar signal on Kaggadasapura Main Road and raised new alarms about reckless driving and road safety in the city.
The victim, identified as Naveen, had been waiting at the traffic signal when the black Baleno suddenly approached at high speed and collided with his scooter. The impact was huge, and three cars stopped at the intersection were also involved in the collision.
Naveen, who worked as a hairstylist, was badly injured in the crash. Despite efforts to save him, he died after the accident. His death left both his family and friends shocked, and car drivers on the busy stretch concerned.
Police have arrested the 63-year-old driver of the Baleno in connection with the crash. The vehicle was driving so fast near the traffic light, investigators will be trying to figure out why. Obstructive driving, mechanical failure, or reckless driving were likely to be factors, authorities say.
So many people have suggested brake failure or possible intoxication on social media, but none of it has been proven by police and so should not be regarded as facts.
But traffic signals are designed to regulate movement at busy intersections in a controlled manner, and speeding vehicles can change the intersection into a dangerous place in seconds.
If a driver does not slow down in time, stationary two-wheelers and cars have no chance of avoiding a collision.
The crash is another reminder of the dangers faced by two-wheeler riders in Bengaluru. Unlike those in the passengers of a car in a high-impact collision, scooter and motorcycle riders are not protected from injury to the core by the presence of their helmet.
A single moment of reckless driving can have catastrophic consequences.
Police investigation into the case will be crucial in establishing exactly what happened before the crash. CCTV footage from the junction, eyewitness accounts and vehicle inspection reports could help investigators reconstruct the sequence of events and determine the cause of the collision.
The death of Naveen reminds us again of the need for responsible driving, especially near traffic lights.
Drivers that are driving toward the junction must slow down and stop. But for family members of road accident victims, such precautions are too late.
The Bengaluru crash is a sad reminder that speeding near a traffic signal can have irreversible consequences not only for the driver, but also for the whole road users completely unaware of them.
