Highway hypnosis: 4 from Surat killed on Samruddhi Mahamarg in Aurangabad

According to the Aurangabad rural police, the incident occurred between 5 am and 5.30 am Wednesday on the Jaipur-Siwar patch of the Samruddhi Mahamarg.

The deceased persons have been identified as Sureshbhai Ramu Gaud, 38; his brother Shrinivas Ramu Gaud, 36; Sanjay Rajanbhai Gaud, 43; and his brother Krishna Rajanbhai Gaud, 48.

“There is a point at the highway where there is a connector on both sides of the road from where vehicles can take a U-turn. At this point, the Ertiga car… rammed into the wall of this connector. And then the vehicle also moved down to the place between the two highway roads,” said Maneesh Kalwaniya, superintendent of the Aurangabad rural police.

The deceased persons have been identified as Sureshbhai Ramu Gaud, 38; his brother Shrinivas Ramu Gaud, 36; Sanjay Rajanbhai Gaud, 43; and his brother Krishna Rajanbhai Gaud, 48. Sanjay was driving the car. Sureshbhai’s son, Bhargav, 19, survived the accident. As he was in mental shock, his statement was yet to be recorded by the police.

“The impact of the accident was so high that the driver and the person sitting in the front seat got badly crushed. One can imagine the high impact of the collision of the vehicle with the divider by knowing that the airbags of the car had opened after the accident impact, but they got busted,” said Murlidhar Khokle, an inspector from the Karmad police station of Aurangabad rural police.

A senior police officer said that the preliminary investigation indicates that the driver lost control of the wheels due to highway hypnosis or sleepiness and met with an accident. At the time of the accident, all the people inside the vehicle were asleep.

“We have registered an offence under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for negligent driving and causing death by negligence against the deceased driver, Sanjay,” Khokle said.

It is pertinent to note that highway hypnosis or sleepiness during driving is the biggest cause of accidents on the Samruddhi Mahamarg, accounting for 98 accidents, or 27 per cent, of the total 358 accidents reported between the period of its inauguration on December 11, 2022, and April 30 this year. Hypnosis-related accidents have resulted in nine casualties out of the total 39 people killed on the highway over the five-month period. With Wednesday’s accident, the death toll on Samruddhi Mahamarg due to highway hypnosis has reached 13.

Additional Director General of Maharashtra state highway police Ravinder Singal has said that by taking some basic yet important precautions, motorists can prevent incidents of highway hypnosis or sleepiness during long drives. The senior officer suggested the below-mentioned precautionary measures:

• Take regular breaks: rest, stretch, and refresh your mind to combat fatigue and stay alert on long journeys.
• Engage in conversations: Meaningful discussions with passengers help maintain focus and prevent monotony.
• Listen to upbeat music: Play energetic music to keep your mind active and prevent drowsiness.
• Utilise mental exercises: count road signs, identify landmarks, or recite licence plate numbers to keep your mind engaged.
• Use eye-focusing techniques: shift your focus, scan your surroundings, and use peripheral vision to stay alert and avoid road hypnosis.
• Incorporating these precautions will enhance safety on new motorways and reduce the risk of accidents. Stay vigilant and keep tabs on the speed.