VIOLENT SPIN ON THE HIGHWAY

The black sedan was cruising sedately. No one noticed it. It was just one among the large number of vehicles  on   M C Road, the State Highway. Onlookers were aghast when it gathered momentum. The thunder was scary.  People rushed in from all corners. They were horrified to find two badly shaken men and an unconscious woman in the vehicle. The woman was bleeding profusely. It was apparent that there had been  a vicious head injury.

Alice was a wonderful woman. She was in the college when I had first met her. There was a bus stop in front of my office. She would drop in and chat as she waited for the arrival of her bus. She had never disturbed me while I had been busy. She was a lively girl and what had stood out was her uninhibited laughter. She drifted like a butterfly. She had spread good cheer all around.

Marriage with Thankachan took her to Abu Dhabi. She was content to be a home maker. It was a happy family. The husband and the wife raised their two children – a son and a daughter – inculcating family values in them. The children did not let go the opportunities that came their way. They underwent courses in engineering and business management in premier institutes. As they were well qualified placements came in search of them.

Life in Abu Dhabi came to a conclusion when Thankachan superannuated. They built a house at Thiruvananthapuram for their stay in India. It was a beautiful house. It was self contained. Exquisite landscaping made it glamorous. Life in India was pleasant just as it had been at Abu Dhabi.

Disaster struck the happy family in a most bizarre mode.  There was the funeral of a dear one at Kottayam on 1^st November 2012. Though Thankachan had planned to take the train to attend the funeral Alice wanted to travel by their car –  Maruti SX4 – so that they could visit a few of their relatives and offer prayers in the Church at Parumala. The engagement of their daughter had been set for 12^th November at Thiruvananthapuram. Alice insisted that they take their driver along so that Thankachan would not be taxed.

They had set out from their home at 6 AM on 1^st November 2012. The driver drove at moderate speed. When they reached Kalayapuram near Kottarakkara, the driver suddenly accelerated to overtake a stationary school bus that was taking in students.  It went awry.  The car dashed against  the rear of the bus on the right. The collision had sent the car to several spins on the road. It was a frightening sight. The bystanders could do nothing. They had  felt that no one would come out alive.  As the driver and Thankachan  in the front seats had worn the seat belts and as the vehicle had air bags in  front they came out of the mishap unhurt.  Wearing of seat belts by passengers in the front seats of all cars in Kerala is mandatory. However it is not mandatory for passengers in the rear. Poor Alice who was sitting in the rear had not worn the seat belt as the law did not require it. The violent spin threw her repeatedly against the metal and the glass on her left. She was badly injured. There was blood.  Her head and her face wore the brunt of the spin. 

She was brought comatose to KIMS Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram  at once in an ambulance.  Though the Doctors had tried their best to resuscitate her she had succumbed to the injuries.  Thankachan was dumbfounded. He had hoped and believed that nothing untoward would happen to Alice while he had held her firm on the ride in the ambulance. One moment life was full of happiness. Tragedy had struck him mercilessly. Alice was laid to rest in the orthodox church’s cemetery at Pattoor on 3^rd November 2012.

The unexpected demise of Alice was a jolt to all who knew her. They could not believe that Alice would never come with her trademark smile to their lives again.

Accidents occur without any notice. Freak accidents occur rarely. A moment is enough to turn happiness to deep sorrow, agony,anguish and tragedy. Perhaps the tragedy could have been averted.if Alice had worn the seat belt while she had been traveling.

Citizens  are the invaluable assets of an emerging economy. Our supplication is that the tragic death of Alice opens the eyes of  lawmakers in Kerala   to mandate wearing of seat belts compulsory for all passengers in all vehicles in the state so that precious lives will not  needlessly be snuffed in future.