All manufacturers,
certainly auto manufacturers are very conscious of the cost of putting a car
together. If four nuts can hold a wheel in place, that’s it! 5 nuts if the
wheel is of a larger size and weight. The length of each bolt is carefully
measured. Longer the bolt or screw, higher the cost. Exactitude is the basis of
design, keeping cost in mind.
So it comes as a
surprise that safety measures are often compromised. Black lives matter? NO!
All lives matter.
Husband; Darling!
Come see. I have got the new car. Let’s go for a drive.
Wifey goes and gets
all dressed up to go for a drive in her new car.
They get into the
car, buckle up and zoom off.
The Wifey is
thrilled. At each red light Husband explains all the gadgets and gizmos in the
car.
She scans the
dashboard and with a surprised look asks, “Honey I don’t see any warning about
the airbag?”
“The car only has
one!”, says Husband.
She coughs chokes,
splutters and snarls. “You cheap b......! Always thinking about yourself. You
got an airbag. Not a thought about me. What happens in case of an accident?
I’ll die! You want to kill me!”
“Take me home right
away. And take the dam car back to the dealer!”
So much for cost
cutting measures!
As usual there seems
to be some confusion on this issue.
Two years ago the
Road Transport Ministry had proposed that two airbags be mandatory on all cars.
A very sensible decision!
Somehow, somewhere
along the way this clause was ignored. Maybe it was thought not necessary or
just got left out by mistake. Then in a meeting with the auto industry it was
decided that the driver’s side airbag was mandatory. This was AIS-145
Notification and applied to cars in the M-1 category, taxis and entry level
cars. Doesn’t make sense!
Tests over the years
have shown, in case of a crash unconsciously the driver tries to save himself,
regardless of who else is in the car with him. In these circumstances the
driver has an airbag and nothing for the co-driver. So much for safety!
It is now being
considered to bring in a clause for at least two frontal airbags.
While buying a car
the Indian buyer is more interested in gadgets and gizmos. Please pay attention
to safety fitments. Airbags and seatbelts save lives. Road conditions on our
roads are the most dangerous. You need front airbags. Side airbags should also
be made mandatory if the passenger’s safety is to be ensured.
Something else you
should be aware of. An offender under the MV Act may also be booked under the
IPC.
Section 279 0f the
IPC is for rash driving on public highways. Interpretation of ‘rash’ may best
be left to the police.
Section 304 A is
causing death by negligence. That may not be hard to prove.
Section 337 is
causing hurt by endangering life or personal safety of others. Again, not hard
to prove!
Some years ago,
Toyota brought out a sedan, an intra-city sedan. It had no music system, no
fancy gizmos to speak of. And yes it had only one wiper! But had two airbags.
Cost cutting measures!
This was a very
conscious effort to improve the passenger’s safety. No radio. Nothing to
distract the driver’s attention!
Believe it or not,
one of the greatest distractions in the car is the music system which has now
evolved into an ‘infotainment system’. This was established 25 years or more
ago. Today, the touch screens, voice command operations, GPS and other such
gizmos surely take the driver’s attention off the road. Beware!
Happy Motoring!