Mercedes Benz launches probe into accident that killed Cyrus Mistry
Mercedes Benz has launched its investigation into the accident involving one of its GLC cars that killed Cyrus Mistry, former Chairman of Tata Motors, on Sunday. A team from the German auto giant visited the accident spot and has collected the vehicle's data. The carmaker will be decrypted to analyse the cause of the accident and the reason behind the death of Mistry and another occupant. Mistry was travelling in a Mercedes GLC car when it hit a divider in Palghar on Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway on Sunday. Mistry and another passenger, who were in the backseats, were killed on the spot.
Among other things, the Mercedes Benz team will also look into details like the car's tyre pressure and brake fluid level to help understand what led to the accident. Low brake fluid can lead to air building up in the gaps of brake line, which softens it up and makes them spongy. This will prevent the driver to stop the car suddenly to prevent any mishaps.
“Officials from the Mercedes-Benz company visited and collected the encrypted data from the accident-hit car. The data will be analysed, decrypted and will be shared with police for further investigation," Sanjay Mohite, Inspector General of Police, Konkan range, was quoted by news agency PTI. Initial investigations have confirmed that none of the victims were wearing seat belts and that the car was travelling at a high speed.
Mistry was travelling in a 2017 GLC 220d 4MATIC model, which comes equipped with seven airbags. However, it does not offer front-facing airbags for rear passengers. It comes with a 'pre-safe system' which helps the front seat belts to be electrically pretensioned in emergencies. It helps minimise chance of front row occupants being thrown against the dashboard and windscreen of the car during braking or skidding in an impending accident.
The airbags inside the GLC are essentially Supplementary Restraint System (SRS), which means it will only work in case of emergencies as the primary safety mechanism is seat belt.
According to the post-mortem report, Cyrus Mistry and his friend Jahangir Pandole received several injuries and "blunt thorax trauma" in the accident. The medical officers from state-owned JJ Hospital, who conducted the autopsy, said the victims' veins were also ruptured which caused internal bleeding. The doctors also concluded the impact at high speed caused Mistry's death. "The impact on the bodies of both Mistry and Pandole was sudden and forceful because of the speed of the car. It led to multiple injuries and blunt thorax trauma," one of the medical officers said.
According to police and eyewitnesses, the GLC was travelling in excess of 170 kmph when it lost control and hit a divider at high speed. Police says it was a case of over-speeding and an "error of judgement" by the driver.
