The BMW that crashed through the Mumbai coastal road’s elevated bridge and plunged 75 feet onto an under-construction parking lot on Sunday morning was allegedly moving at a speed of around 120kmph, police said. The speed was significantly higher than the 80kmph limit on the main carriageway.
The police are also investigating if alcohol consumption or mechanical failure played a role as they piece together what happened before the BMW lost control while negotiating a curve, broke through the wall and plunged off the bridge. However, the exact speed will be established during the investigation. A motorist who witnessed the crash informed the police control room. The incident has also renewed attention on speeding along the coastal road. The Regional Transport Office will examine the wrecked BMW to determine whether mechanical failure or human error contributed to the accident.
Tardeo police said the car appeared to be travelling at around 120kmph based on its trajectory after hitting the coastal road’s barrier and the momentum with which it was thrown off the elevated section. Police said the four occupants were returning from Marine Drive in south Mumbai when the accident took place. Police said cars and SUVs, including expensive sports cars, frequently exceed the speed limit on the carriageway, treating the road as a racetrack. Police said further investigation would establish the circumstances leading to the crash, including the car’s exact speed. Police said post-mortem examinations will establish whether the victims had consumed alcohol before the crash.
