Valparai accident due to careless driving of driver, says report

The accident in Valparai was mainly due to careless and dangerous driving by the driver, the Kerala Motor Vehicle Department said in a report before the Kerala High Court on Tuesday.

On April 17, a 13-seater van met with an accident while traveling from Valparai to Pollachi, resulting in the death of 10 people from an excursion team from the Government Lower Primary School at Pang in Malappuram.

The report concluded that the suspected primary cause of the accident was improper driving technique by the driver, who consistently applied engine braking instead of engine braking during prolonged descents. This caused the brake system to overheat, affecting the vehicle’s braking ability. The report further states that the driver was unfamiliar with hilly terrain and lacked the technical know-how to drive on narrow roads and to judge the width of the roadway.

The report also noted that the concrete retaining wall at the crash site did not have sufficient height to effectively prevent the vehicle from overturning.

The report was submitted by the high court in a writ petition registered suo motu, which relates to unauthorized vehicle modifications and subsequent road accidents.

Published – 16 Jun 2026 22:12 IST