Skoda Rapid Driver Crashes Into Maruti WagonR After Stupid Overtaking Move (Video)

Horrific road accidents are becoming increasingly common on our roads. Many a time, overly aggressive driver behaviour or road rage could be cited as reasons for such crashes. A recent incident near Yamuna Nagar toll plaza in Haryana had careless drive behaviours destroy two cars- a Skoda Rapid and a Maruti Wagon R, even when all the occupants remained safe. Let’s delve into the details of this:

This crash took place on October 2, 2024. The dash camera footage (from the WagonR) shows a White Skoda Rapid rolling behind it, on a four-lane highway, with the Maruti maintaining a speed of around 70 kph. It was, however, on the right lane (fast lane). The Rapid driver soon tries to overtake it. The Maruti had overtaken a truck moments ago but is still keeping right. The only option for the Skoda now is to keep left and get ahead of the Maruti. The driver attempts it.

It seems like the Wagon R had the intention to take the left lane at the same time, but it is unclear if it has its turn signal lamps turned on or not. Within no time, the right side of the Rapid rubbed against the left side of the Wagon-R. The Skoda was carrying good speed and this only made things worse. Both cars lost control, crashed out and took serious damage.

The momentum made the Rapid spin and get right in front of the Maruti. The wagon R seems to have dabbed the brakes in no time. The Skoda ran into the median before coming to a full stall. Thankfully, the Wagon R did not jump off the median and cause greater mishaps. You can see the Skoda’s ORVM falling off and the Wagon-R’s wheel cup going off, as a result of the crash.

What Could Have Possibly Gone Wrong?

Before we get talkative on this, let us tell you something- we haven’t investigated this case first-hand. However, there seems to be a handful of things that need to be stated here. One, the Wagon-R was driving on the fast lane, at a speed of 70 kph. Driving at speeds so low on the fast lane is not recommended at all. Doing so will force the following vehicles to attempt a left-side overtaking, as the Skoda did here- something that can be dangerous.

To change lanes safely, one should first turn the lane change signal on. Then carefully look around, keep an eye on the ORVM, and attempt the lane change only if found safe. The Wagon-R here could have taken less damage if the driver had been keen on the ORVM visuals.

Now comes the question of blind spots. A blind spot is a patch between the vehicle and the first visible section of the road behind, where the driver’s visibility is close to zero. They can be dangerous. Modern cars use electronics to bypass the risks caused by these. Blindspot monitors and warnings are used for this purpose. Cost-effective aftermarket solutions include convex mirrors that can be fitted on the ORVM- which can give clear views of blind spots.

Also, it is unclear if the Rapid honked while attempting the aggressive overtake through the left-hand side. He should have honked and given a ‘pass’ to warn the Wagon R driver on the oncoming vehicle.