A tragic road accident near Bengaluru on Saturday claimed the lives of six family members, igniting a debate about the effectiveness of safe cars on unsafe roads. The family was traveling in a Volvo SUV when a container truck overturned, crushing the vehicle and leaving no survivors.

The accident took place on National Highway 48 near Nelamangala on the outskirts of Bangalore.

A preliminary police investigation has revealed the facts that led to the tragic accident that claimed six lives. An Eicher truck, loaded with aluminum pillars weighing several tonnes, was heading towards Bengaluru when the driver lost control while trying to avoid a collision with another vehicle.

Traveling at high speed, the truck swerved, crossed the median and overturned into a Tumakuru-bound Volvo car. The impact was devastating, leaving the Volvo severely damaged and causing fatalities. The truck also hit a beater before coming to rest, but the beater sustained only minor damage.

A nearby CCTV camera captured the horrifying moment the lorry crushed the Volvo. Police are analyzing the footage as part of their ongoing investigation into the incident.

The victims of the tragic accident have been identified as Chandrayagappa Gaul (48), his wife Gaurabai (42) and their relatives Vijayalakshmi (36), John (16), Deeksha (12) and Arya (6). The family was traveling to Vijayapura when the incident occurred.

Chandram Yegapagol, Managing Director and CEO of IAST Software Solutions, was a well-known personality in the Bangalore technology industry. A resident of HSR Layout, he was originally from Morbagi village in Maharashtra’s Sangli district.

Yegapagol had an impressive educational background, with a diploma in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from GPT Gulbarga, followed by a Bachelor of Engineering in the same field from the prestigious National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK) Surathkal, according to his LinkedIn profile .

Eyewitnesses reported that the truck driver, Arif, lost control of the vehicle while trying to avoid a car that stopped suddenly in front of him. The truck then jumped the divider and collided with the Volvo SUV.

The family was traveling to Vijayapura when the tragedy struck. According to a police officer, the truck landed on the car, which was badly crushed, and the bodies of the victims were dismembered.

The accident has sparked a fierce debate on social media about road safety, with many users stressing that even the safest vehicles cannot prevent fatalities if other drivers behave recklessly.

DriveSmart, a social media account dedicated to promoting road safety, shared alarming images of the accident site where a Volvo SUV was crushed by a container truck, killing six people.

The X handle issued a stern warning, saying: “This photo is a reminder that being safer on the road doesn’t just come with a safer car. Safe roads + Safe driver + Safe car –> All three are essential for safety (sic).”

In response to the post, some users pointed out that while Volvo is known for producing safe vehicles, no car can withstand the immense force of a container truck loaded with aluminum.

Others tagged Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari urging the government to enforce stricter rules and regulations to improve road safety, stressing the need for stronger measures to prevent such catastrophic accidents in the future.

During a recent debate on road safety in Parliament, Union Minister Gadkari admitted that the number of accidents has increased significantly. “Forget about reducing the number of accidents, I have no hesitation in admitting that it has increased. This is one area where our department has not succeeded,” Gadkari remarked during the winter session of Parliament.

He also expressed frustration at the lack of fear of the law, despite the high number of fatalities in road accidents. “Some don’t wear helmets, some jump red flags,” he said during Question Time, describing the “strange” situation.

The union minister highlighted that improper parking of trucks on roads is a major contributor to accidents, noting that many trucks do not follow lane discipline.

Government data reveals that more than 1.78 lakh people lost their lives in road accidents in India last year, averaging around 470 deaths every day. A large proportion of the victims are between the ages of 18 and 34.