Just how much more dangerous can Indian roads get? That’s what I set out to discover on a drive to Mahabaleshwar, via NH66 or the old Goa road.

NH66 is treacherous at best due to its unfinished state. Imagine a super-smooth surface suddenly giving way to an unfinished, potholed, dirt road; and three lanes merging into two, then into one, often without warning.

Add lashing rain, potholes that make the moon’s surface look smooth, and all of this at night, the conditions couldn’t be worse.

Now, why would I do something that some may think borders on suicidal? It’s to prove that no matter how deadly the driving conditions, a safe driver in a safe car can stay out of trouble. The car for the task was the Volvo XC40 Recharge, an all-electric SUV packed with safety features, and with enough range for the 250km trip.

It’s 5.30pm. I dodge rush hour traffic by hitting the Atal Setu that connects Mumbai to Navi Mumbai. It’s the perfect stretch to experience the XC40 Recharge’s ADAS features. Setting the Adaptive Cruise Control to the 100 kph speed limit, the system automatically adjusts the speed to maintain a safe distance from the car ahead. And on the gentle curves of the Atal Setu, engaging the Lane Keeping Assist function subtly steers the car to stay centered in the lane.

Get off the Atal Setu on to the JNPT and you are jolted back to reality. It’s absolute mayhem. Cars, bikes, trucks of all sizes dodge potholes on disintegrated sections of the road. Potholes are the hidden enemy on NH66. That minefield can appear out of nowhere and it’s instinctive to slam on the brakes. But to hit a pothole under hard braking (which makes the nose dip and uses up all the suspension travel) is actually the worst thing to do and can lead to a tyre blow-out. The trick is to slam on the brakes just before you hit the pothole, then ease off or even accelerate. This extends the front suspension, giving the wheels more travel to absorb the impact.

By midnight, traffic is light on NH66, with fast moving trucks hogging the road. One of the biggest dangers and the cause of many deaths are the deadly steel rods that stick out from the back of a truck with no tail lights, and just a red flag tied to the end of one of the rods as a warning.

The golden rule is to keep a safe distance when driving behind such trucks, so you have enough space and time to react. It’s best to overtake them with full power. This may eat the range of an EV, but you don’t want to be alongside one truck when another truck is bearing down on you from the opposite direction.

As I approach Mahabaleshwar in the Western Ghats, the road is enveloped by fog and mist. Driving requires intense concentration. The rule is to slow down because reduced visibility means there’s less time to react to obstacles. Another important tip is to use low beams because high beam can reflect off the fog and actually reduce visibility by creating a wall of light. Also, use the left edge of the road as a guide instead of looking at the centre.

Finally, home in Mahabaleshwar at 2am surrounded by the cool air and pin-drop silence, I couldn’t help but reflect on the last couple of hours. It felt like driving through hell to reach this slice of heaven.

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