SAMPATH, J.

( 1 ) THE owner of the vehicle and the insurance company are the appellants. The above civil miscellaneous appeal is filed against the award of Rs. 4,00,000 by the Motor Accidents Claims Tribunal (Subordinate Judge), Kancheepuram in m. A. C. T. O. P. No. 160 of 1991 filed by respondent Nos. 1 to 6 herein, claiming compensation in a sum of Rs. 4,00,000 for the death of one Shanmugavel, husband of the respondent No. 1, father of respondent nos. 2 to 5 and son of the respondent No. 6, in an accident involving the vehicle belonging to the appellant No. 1 and insured with the appellant No. 2.

( 2 ) THE case of the claimants was as follows: on 22. 3. 1991 at about 10. 00 a. m. , when the deceased Shanmugavel was on his way to the house in a bicycle, a car bearing the registration No. TSI 7346 belonging to the appellant No. 1, driven by its driver, the respondent No. 7 herein, in a rash and negligent manner, dashed against him causing grievous injuries to which he succumbed on the way to the hospital. At the time of his death, Shanmugavel was 30 years old. He was hale and hearty. Besides being a village postmaster earning Rs. 750 p. m. , he owned extensive lands, whi