Fatal pile-up on Yamuna Expressway: Fog, high speed emerge as key safety risks

Mathura District Magistrate Chandra Prakash Singh has set up a committee to inquire into Tuesday’s crash. The committee has been given two days to look into the reasons for the fatal pile-up, the DM told The Indian Express.

Rakesh Kumar Singh, CEO of the Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority (YEIDA), said that the general manager (Project) of YEIDA will be part of the committee set up by the Mathura administration.

A senior YEIDA official told The Indian Express that open spaces and the presence of flowing water close to the Yamuna Expressway leads to the formation of dense fog.

“We also need to examine the condition of street lights, and the possibility of putting radium paint on the white-and-black vertical tracks on the Expressway, and installing cat’s eyes on the road,” he said.

‘Cat’s eyes’ are reflective studs – raised markers for lanes, road edges, and pavements – that guide drivers at night or in poor visibility by reflecting their headlights.

Road safety expert Prince Singhal, the founder of Community Against Drunken Driving (CADD), said that though the reason for Tuesday’s crash seems to have been fog, high speeds on the Expressway was an important risk factor.

“Ab to main khul ke gaadi chalaunga (I can drive freely now)… This is the attitude of many people traveling on the Yamuna Expressway. It is also one of the most important reasons for the occurrence of accidents,” he said.

Singhal also said that the absence of law enforcement allows people to drink and drive. “People drive to Agra, Lucknow, or Kanpur on expressways at speeds that sometimes reach 150 km/hr. This becomes even more dangerous when fog and polluted air reduce visibility,” he said.

Singhal said there are hardly any police or emergency care facilities along the expressway. “There are no ambulances, no mid-way halting areas, no regular checking, and no speed limits. It is a freeway. People need to be educated and trained – and they must be punished when found breaking traffic rules,” he said.