About 35 vehicles were involved in a major crash on the Delhi-Meerut highway on Sunday morning. Foggy conditions in the morning were blamed for the reduced visibility on the highway leading to the crash that left 10 people injured although no deaths were reported.
Officials say visibility drops as low as 50 meters on highways resulting in difficult driving conditions. While traffic was moving slowly, the pile-up is believed to have occurred when the driver of the car braked sharply. A truck behind hit it before being hit by several vehicles behind. The lorry driver – hit by a vehicle as he stepped outside to check for damage – was taken to hospital in what is believed to be a serious condition. Pile mainly involved passenger vehicles but also involved an oil tanker and a bus.
Traffic on the Meerut-Ghaziabad route remained affected for several hours after the incident. While smog is not uncommon in northern parts of the country in February, the need to be properly aware of the best driving practices when visibility is limited is vital. India ranks high on the list of countries with the most road accidents, and its highways are usually the site of most of these accidents. Experts blame reckless driving behaviors such as speeding, driving into oncoming traffic, sudden lane changes and turns, as well as other factors that often lead to the most unfortunate incidents.
(With agency input)
Date of first publication: February 20, 2023, 10:25 a.m. IST
