Viral video shows driver asleep at wheel on Chandigarh–Manali highway

Dubai: A major traffic accident was allegedly avoided on the Chandigarh–Manali highway after a driver was filmed appearing to fall fast asleep at the wheel while his vehicle maintained speeds of up to 100kmph.

The incident, which has surfaced through viral footage recorded by a passing motorist, shows a white sedan drifting steadily across the tarmac while the driver remains slumped and unresponsive. For several kilometres, the vehicle continued at high speed on a stretch of the mountain-bound route, seemingly guided only by the car's alignment as the driver failed to react to his surroundings.

The clip showed a truck driver travelling alongside the vehicle noticed the man’s condition and began a desperate attempt to intervene. The witness can be heard repeatedly sounding his air horn and shouting across the lanes in an effort to rouse the driver. Despite the persistent noise, the motorist appeared to remain in a deep sleep, his head tilted back as the car cruised through a relatively quiet section of the highway.

While the vehicle bore commercial registration plates, it remains unclear whether the driver was operating as a private taxi or under a specific transport firm. The footage concludes with the truck driver continuing to alert the man, though it has not yet been confirmed by local authorities exactly where or how the vehicle eventually came to a halt.

Road safety advocates have pointed to the footage as a stark reminder of the "silent killer" on India’s long-distance routes. Fatigue amongst commercial drivers is a recurring issue, often attributed to gruelling schedules and the pressure to complete long trips without sufficient breaks.

"Drowsy driving remains as significant a threat as driving under the influence," noted one safety consultant following the video’s release. "On high-speed corridors, a micro-sleep lasting only a few seconds is enough to cause a multi-vehicle pile-up."

Local police have not yet released a formal statement regarding the identity of the driver or whether any charges will be brought for negligence. However, the incident has sparked a wider conversation on social media regarding the working conditions of commercial operators and the urgent need for enforced rest periods to prevent such near-misses from becoming fatal.