Watch: Man Jumps Off Skidding SUV Near Atal Tunnel
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The driver of the SUV, unable to take control, opens the door and jumps off the vehicle.
A man narrowly escaped danger at the Atal Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh as he jumped off his SUV to save his life. A video of the incident, shared on social media, shows multiple vehicles struggling to maintain control on the snowy road around the Atal Tunnel.
The tunnel, which began operations in 2020, is an engineering marvel and greatly reduces the time of travel between Manali and the Lahaul-Spiti Valley by bypassing high mountain passes. In winter, however, driving becomes risky because of heavy snowfall. The region’s steep slopes and winding roads often turn icy and dangerous.
In the recent incident, the SUV coming down the road loses control and starts sliding on the icy road. The driver of the SUV, unable to take control, opens the door and jumps off the vehicle. He rolls on the ground just in time before the SUV reaches a complete after hitting a wall, thereby having averted what could be a disastrous accident.
The incident has generated much buzz on social media, with many viewers expressing shock and relief in equal measure that the man got away without serious injury.
The translated caption read: “If you’re going to panic, then it’s better not to go at all. But if you’re going, follow the advisory, and everything will be fine. If the snow is falling far from your location, go to a nearby spot to enjoy it instead. Especially at Atal Tunnel, limit your time to a maximum of 30 minutes, enjoy, and then leave!”
A user commented on the Instagram video: “Bro guide these people from Canadian Drivers book !! What to do while driving in Snow! That can help people to understand what to do, rather than jumping from a vehicle and putting other people’s lives at risk.”
Another user said: “He was trying to look back through the door but he slipped…later he also rushed towards the car…”
Manali experienced its first snowfall of the season earlier this week.