Overtaking without making sure that the right conditions exist, such as good visibility, sufficient space and a clear road, can have fatal consequences. Beyond constituting a serious infraction, punishable by a fine of between 200 and 400 euros, it is an irresponsible action that endangers the safety of the driver and those accompanying him, as well as that of other users.
A paradigmatic case of negligent behavior behind the wheel in a situation like this took place a few days ago in Ibiza. The driver of a Mercedes that was driving along the airport access road made an irregular overtaking in a section of a continuous line and collided head-on with a taxi.
As a result of the crash, one of the occupants of the taxi suffered head trauma and was admitted to a hospital in serious condition. The driver and the other passenger who were traveling in the taxi, as well as the person who caused the accident, suffered minor injuries that also required medical assistance.
The images of the brutal collision were captured by the camera of a line bus that was driving behind the Mercedes. Although, at first, the images were only published in local media, it is now when they have gone viral after SocialDrive shared them on their official Twitter profile.
The video shows the inexplicable, that is, the recklessness of the driver who drives behind the van and overtakes in a continuous line. If it is already irresponsible to try to overtake in this situation, the action is even more serious if the other conditions for carrying out the maneuver safely do not exist, as in this case.
The violent collision occurred on July 12 at around 4:00 p.m. on the access road to the Ibiza airport when the driver of the Mercedes that was traveling in the direction of the island’s capital began the overtaking maneuver. One of the doubts left by the images is that shortly before the Mercedes invades the opposite lane, you can see how the car’s emergency flashers come on. Immediately afterwards, the vehicle varies its trajectory with a much more forceful turn of the steering wheel than would be normal.
In the images prior to the impact, it is not observed that the driver of the car that caused the collision showed an attitude of nervousness. He drives parallel with the road and doesn’t seem to want to move on to the van.
After observing its behavior and seeing what happens next, it could be the case that the driver of the Mercedes got distracted and, seeing that he was going to hit the van, tried to avoid the blow by turning the steering wheel. What he does not expect is that at that moment another vehicle will circulate in the opposite direction with which he ends up impacting.
Hence, some comments on the action carried out by the driver of the Mercedes underline the importance of maintaining a safe distance to avoid a rear-end collision in sudden braking. The DGT indicates in its publications that this distance must be two seconds and that to calculate it we have to pronounce ‘1.001’, ‘1.002’… with respect to a fixed point on the road.
The General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) establishes clear and precise guidelines to carry out overtaking safely and correctly. Before starting the manoeuvre, it is essential to verify that the conditions are favorable in terms of visibility, sufficient space and the absence of vehicles in the opposite direction. Once this situation is confirmed, it is necessary to adequately signal the intention to overtake and make sure that there are no vehicles approaching from behind with the same intention.
During the lane change, it must be done gradually and safely, always maintaining an adequate distance from the vehicle that is overtaking. It is important to maintain proper acceleration, making sure you have the space and power to carry out the maneuver effectively. Once you have passed the vehicle you are passing, return to the right lane using your turn signals and ensuring a safe distance.
