Watch Video: Female Scooter Rider Injured In Accident Involving Stray Dogs

When will the government take road accidents involving cattle and stray dogs seriously?

A 2021 statistic published by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of India claims, “every year, approximately 1.5 lakh people die on India roads, which translates to an average of 422 deaths every day.” The study also reveals a big chunk of that number (almost 40 per cent) are from accidents involving two-wheelers.

Caught on Camera | Scared of being bitten by stray dogs, a woman rammed her scooty into a car parked on the side of the road in Berhampur city in Odisha. Both women and the child sustained multiple injuries in the incident. pic.twitter.com/F5h8wtCFHy

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 3, 2023

A case in point is this incident where a female scooter rider and two other passengers (a child included), all riding without helmets, were chased by stray dogs, and in fear of their safety, lost control and crashed into a stationary car. Thankfully, all three of them survived, but there’s an important lesson to be learnt here.

Operating a motorcycle or a scooter requires balance, concentration and presence of mind. But all this can be a difficult task on our roads where we have to constantly deal with bad traffic sense, bad roads, free-roaming stray animals and cattle. In India we do not learn to ride/drive to commute, we learn to survive between point “A” and “B” and that’s the sad truth. 

In this particular accident, the rider was seen speeding to avoid a pack of stray dogs. But what was most irresponsible of this rider and her co-passengers from Odisha was that none of them were wearing a helmet, the most basic of safety gear. On collision with a stationary car the scooter topples, throwing the rider, her pillion and the child flat to the ground. Thankfully they escaped with minor injuries, but it could have been worse. 

Even if the government decides to clean up our roads and make them distraction free – no stray dogs and cattles – the ownership of our safety and our loved ones is our own. Hence, it is our sincere request that you follow the most basic traffic rules, safety protocols before operating your two-wheeler. Wish you a safe ride!

Regards,

Team BikeDekho