Going by the sudden spurt in reported cases, it would seem like there is an epidemic of hit-and-run episodes going on in India, today. Is there a new kind of virus, a contagious infection that is causing drivers to go mad, a la the characters that commit mass suicide due to a new plague in M Night Shyamalan’s movie The Happening .
I know that seems cinematic and rather improbable. So, is there a chance that the rich-poor divide in our ill-planned metropolises is so stark, the public infrastructure so poor, and car owners so undisciplined, that it is leading to more hit-and-run cases? Or, is it possible that we are getting bombarded by sensationalistic media reportage , which picks up specific cases, and provides a saturation of coverage because of the promise of ‘more meat’ (pun not intended) in the story?
I think it is a mix of all of the above reasons.
The reckless driver
Before anyone gets all worked up at the potential angle I’m taking here, let me clarify that this is not an attempt at trivialising, but a call to action, because I believe all fatalities from road accidents are tragic. Almost 150,000 Indians die every year due to road accidents, most of which could have been avoided. Every life lost is precious and most of us can confirm, with similar examples amongst relatives and friends, that they leave a big void in the lives of the victim’s family.
Hit-and-run cases are particularly frustrating and angering, because in these accidents the reckless driver, who caused the mishap, gets away scot-free, even if only for the moment. This is completely unacceptable, irresponsible, and reckless behaviour.
But is it acceptable to only selectively sensationalise select cases where the vehicles involved were expensive luxury cars? The prospect of the driver or the occupants being VIPs, or actors, or people in power, might tempt the media to focus too much on one case over another,but reporting the event with the right facts and offering the right perspective is more important than grabbing eyeballs.
The BMWs, Mercedes’ and Bentleys
We have all heard of the infamous BMW hit-and-run case, and the Bentley that broke through the median and hit two vehicles. Last week, the Hummer, too, was back in the news, after the court delivered a life sentence to the wantonly reckless driver. The headlines seem to focus just on some of these car brands, almost like they are responsible in some way. A few days ago, a leading national daily’s front page declared “Audi mows down IAF man”. Similarly, earlier this week, a leading TV channel’s breaking news section read: “Mercedes runs amok, kills 5 in Mumbai”.
Have you ever read a headline that says “Ashok Leyland Dost turns unfriendly and runs over…”, or a “Tata Prima transforms, bulldozes…”, or a “Bharat Benz skips the red, ploughs into…..”? Unfortunately, these incidents too, happen everyday; but they are always reported as “Truck driver loses control and…”.
Selective responsibility
The fact that the big, fancy luxury car driver has that much more of a responsibility to drive with caution and restraint is undeniable; after all he or she is expected to be educated and socially aware. But, that still doesn’t explain the exemplary punishment and the attention grabbing headlines in just these cases.
Caught in the whipped-up frenzy about who was driving the killer car, nobody seems to remember, with any sense of indignation, that the victims in most of these cases spend their entire lives on the pavements of our cities. I wish that someone raised questions about their plight too, and held the government responsible for providing them shelter and protection from the nightmare on our wild streets.