Watch: Mahindra Thar skids on black ice, rolls down hill in Gulmarg

A Mahindra Thar SUV was caught on camera as it skidded of the road to hit a barrier and roll down the slopes on Gulmarg Road on Friday. The video was widely shared on social media platforms as it went viral.

While there have been no reports of any casualties, at least two passengers were seen jumping off the off-road vehicle to save their lives at the last moment.

The video shows an old generation Mahindra Thar approaching a bend on Gulmarg Road amid heavy snowfall. It shows a few other vehicles already parked in one corner of the road. As the Thar tackled the corner in relatively higher speed with a sharper turning radius, it skidded on the ice and rolled down the slopes. The tyre marks of the Thar shows how it lost control.

Later, the police administration issued guidelines for people driving on snow and black ice in the hills during the season. Vehicles plying on such roads without proper anti-skid chains are not going to be allowed till the situation improves. The police has also asked people to take exercise extra caution while driving in such conditions.

Among the guidelines issued by the police, there are several points that are aimed to provide tips and tricks towards safer drives on snow and ice. It asks people to not panic in case the vehicle starts to skid. Instead, the driver should try to control the skid while braking slowly to bring the vehicle to a stop.

Some of the other advises issued are to inspect the vehicle before starting off. In case of snow or black ice, vehicles should use anti-skid chains to avoid such incidents.

While driving on snow or ice, some of the commonly used practices are to keep a safe distance from the vehicle ahead, driving at a slow and steady speed, sticking to the same lane without overtaking others, avoid using cruise control on any slippery surface.

The police have also advised against driving in case there is snowstorm. It has also advised people to prepare well for any eventuality, like keeping at least half a tank of fuel in vehicle at all times.