Wrong-side driving and riding is a significant menace in India. We have seen numerous accidents happening in the past due to the same and it continues to cause a lot of accidents. Here is one that got caught on the dashboard camera.
The incident happened in Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh. The video shows a person driving on a four-lane highway. The video footage is from the dashboard camera of the vehicle. In the video, we can see the vehicle approaching a junction on the highway. Two motorcycles start approaching the vehicle on the right-most lane.
The video shows that both riders do not slow down or move out of the way. One of the riders who was with a pillion rider crashes against the car. Both of them roll over and hit the bonnet of the vehicle and fall down.
One of them is wearing a helmet while the pillion rider is not wearing any kind of safety equipment. The woman pillion rider quickly gets up and starts checking the man who was riding. Later, the video shows the car owner parking the vehicle on the shoulder of the road and talking to a group of people who had gathered around to see what happened. The video footage shows multiple riders on the wrong side of the road riding freely without any police action.
Using the wrong side of the road may seem like a way to save time and fuel, but it can lead to disastrous consequences. It is important to always follow the correct lane, particularly on highways. If you must use the wrong lane, avoid the fastest lane as it is frequently used for overtaking by other vehicles.
In many cases, when highways and expressways are made, the contractors or the authorities do not make access roads for the locals. This causes the locals to use the highways and since the U-Turns are far away, they take the wrong side to reach their destination and cut the distance.
In India, the concept of right-of-way is non-existent, so it’s advisable to reduce speed when approaching a crossing to ensure safety on the road. In addition, when travelling on highways, it’s recommended to slow down while passing through populated areas such as towns and villages. Despite the presence of designated pedestrian crossings, many people opt to cross the highway randomly to save time, and there’s also a high likelihood of encountering stray animals and cattle in such areas.
Maintaining a safe speed on the highways is crucial, especially as incidents of locals riding on the wrong side of the road are quite common, particularly near settlements or urban areas along the highways.
