Distracted VW Taigun driver crashes into Mahindra XUV500: Both SUVs topple [Video]

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of accidents in India. Here’s a video caught on CCTV that also illustrates how unstable SUVs can be. This video from Kerala captures a collision between a Mahindra XUV500 and a Volkswagen Taigun. The driver of the Taigun appears to have been distracted or possibly fell asleep at the wheel, leading to the crash.

The CCTV footage depicts an undivided single-lane road in a ghat section, and the road surface appears to be wet. In the video, we see the XUV500 making a left turn, and the Volkswagen Taigun entering the frame from the left side of the screen.

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As both vehicles approach each other, the VW Taigun loses its lane and veers directly into the XUV500. Although the alert XUV500 driver spotted the oncoming Taigun, they were unable to avoid the collision. The Taigun crashed into the rear of the XUV500, causing both vehicles to become unstable.

Both cars overturned, with the VW Taigun eventually righting itself after flipping onto its roof, while the XUV500 remained upside down. The aftermath reveals significant damage to both vehicles, with the Taigun’s suspension failing, and one of its tires detaching from the vehicle.

Fortunately, there were no reported injuries in the incident, and all passengers in both vehicles emerged unharmed.

XUV500 not tested by GNCAP

The VW Taigun is the safest SUV in India, while the Mahindra XUV500 received a 4-star rating in the A-NCAP test. However, the vehicle was never tested by Global NCAP, which evaluates India-spec variants of car models. Global NCAP tested the all-new Skoda Kushaq and the Volkswagen Taigun, both of which received 5-star safety ratings under the new crash test protocols of Global NCAP.

Both cars scored 29.64 out of 34 points for adult safety protection and 42 out of 49 points for child safety. Both come with front airbags and ESC as standard, contributing to their high ratings.

It’s worth noting that SUVs, by design, tend to be less stable. While SUVs have gained popularity worldwide, they were originally designed to be slow and rugged for tackling rough terrains. However, many SUV owners rarely use them off-road, leading to the popularity of 4×2 SUVs, which aren’t considered true off-roaders.

SUVs, due to their higher ground clearance, are more prone to rollovers compared to standard hatchbacks or sedans. Therefore, it’s essential to exercise extra caution when driving SUVs, especially at high speeds.

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