Confused the pedals? Woman dies after driving car into a lake during practice
A 42-year-old woman in India died during a complex rescue operation after driving alone to practice for her license test. Investigators suspect she panicked and accidentally pressed the gas pedal instead of the brake.
Sumsitra Das, 42, from Kolkata, India, was killed after losing control of her car and plunging into a lake. She was extracted from the vehicle following a complex and prolonged rescue operation, but was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
On the morning of the incident, Das took the family's new Hyundai Eon to practice for her driving test, which was scheduled for August 22. Although her driving lessons were typically conducted with a qualified instructor, she was driving alone at the time of the fatal accident.
A complex rescue operation
Eyewitnesses who saw the car dive into the water immediately alerted emergency services. Local residents attempted to jump into the water to rescue Das, but the lake's depth, estimated at approximately 3.5 meters, caused the vehicle to sink rapidly to the bottom.
It took considerable time for fire and police crews to pull the car out of the water using a heavy crane. Das was found inside the vehicle unconscious and was rushed to the hospital, where doctors were forced to pronounce her dead.
Pressed the wrong pedal?
Indian police have opened an investigation into the circumstances of the accident, and the vehicle has been sent for a comprehensive inspection, as Das's body was found in an unusual position, with her face turned toward the back seat and her feet near the pedals.
The investigators' primary suspicion is a fatal human error. Police are examining the possibility that the inexperienced driver panicked and accidentally pressed the gas pedal instead of the brake, causing the vehicle to lunge forward and break into the lake. The investigation is ongoing to rule out a technical failure in the vehicle, which had only recently been purchased by her husband.
