• The first and foremost principle for the road safety is patience. While driving one should not be in a hurry and drive the vehicle in a speed such that you can control your vehicle in an emergency.
• Maintain the speed depending on the visibility on the road, for example, if you can't see more than 50 meters drive only below 30 KMPH so that you can stop in an emergency.
• When an emergency vehicles Ambulance, Fire and Police approaching from rear side, move your vehicle extreme left and stop, give way to them.
• While overtaking or when there is no clear visibility on opposite direction, take the following precautions
a. Don't overtake at the curves, where you cannot see the traffic approaching from opposite direction clearly. If you overtake at these places there may be chance of getting an accident with the oncoming vehicle as shown in the picture.
b. On the crest of hill, you may not see the traffic coming in the opposite direction unless you reach particular height, hence overtaking in these circumstances could be dangerous.
c. Overtaking a vehicle from behind already overtaking vehicle as shown in below picture. In this situation again visibility plays major role as the truck is overtaking another truck and the car is trying to overtake behind the truck. The bus is coming in the opposite direction the overtaking truck driver can see the bus and the bus driver can see the truck but the car driver can't see the bus and the bus driver can't see the car, hence the bus and car my met with head on collision accident.
d. When there is heavy traffic.
e. At junctions, you may not be visible to other vehicles driver; bigger size vehicle may block your visibility. Hence slow down look all directions and then go.
f. In a tunnel or over a narrow bridge.
g. During winter when there is a fog or dust when you cannot see the road clearly at lease the distance which you need to overtake.
h. If a vehicle is coming in the opposite direction, let that vehicle go, as the right of way is for that vehicle. Always remember when there is any obstruction in your way stop and give the way for the vehicles coming in the opposite direction as always right of way is for those vehicles.
• Drunken driving causes loss of control on vehicles and will cause other errors discussed earlier. Hence don't drink and drive.
• If you increase 1 percent of speed, it increases the risk four times to meet with an accident, think before you speed up.
• Due to distraction you may not react in time and may cause serious road crash. Hence always be alert as long as you are driving or walking as pedestrian or waiting somewhere on the road side.
• Speaking on cell phone causes major distraction as explained earlier and may cause serious road crash not only at the time of driving, even while you are walking or waiting at the road side.
• Don't operate Radio, C.D. or D.V.D Player and also watching D.V.D while driving the vehicle causes distraction and my lead to serious accidents.
• Few medicines like Benadryl cough syrup, Avil, Actifed, Cetirizine, Compose tablets impair the driving ability. When you are on these type of medication don't drive. Always ask the physician about the impact of the medicines on the driving.
• When making long trips, take some rest for every two hours. Due to fatigue as explained earlier body may go to rest on its own. The symptoms are explained earlier, if you see any of the fatigue symptom don't ignore, even you are very near to your destination. These types of accidents occur very near to the destination as the drivers think that they will reach soon.
• Making a left turn or right turn
a. Left turn: Indicate the left signal well in advance and drive to the left side of the road on which you are driving and then turn to the left in to the left most lane as shown in fig "a". If you take turn from right side as shown in the fig "b" it'll be a conflict with the traffic going in the straight direction and may cause traffic crash.
b. Right turn: Indicate the right signal and drive the vehicle to the centre of the road and make a turn and enter in to the left side of the road as shown in fig "a". If it is multilane roads drive in to the respective lane. If you take turn from left side of the road as shown in the fig "b" it'll be a conflict with the traffic going in the straight direction and may cause traffic crash.
c. In the above two situations it's not only danger but also creates a bottleneck for the traffic and traffic jam may happen.
During night time when you see the vehicles coming in the opposite direction use the low beam other wise headlights cause glare to the oncoming vehicle drivers and may become a road crash.
• Zigzag driving on lanes is prohibited, drive with in the lane. If it is a four lane i.e. two lanes in each direction drive in the leftmost lane. When you want overtake take the right lane.
• If the vehicle is broke down, move the vehicle to the safest place don't keep it on the side of the road. Meanwhile switch on the indicators by pressing on the button on dash board, keep the orange cones or triangle with your vehicle to alert the other drivers and road users. If you don't take precautions it is dangerous to you, your vehicle and other road users. If it's a toll road you can call to the helpline provided on the road side (i.e. Telephone provided on each 200 mts), a highway team will help you in shifting the vehicle to the safest place.
• At narrow bridge, check the oncoming vehicles position and if it's safe then, enter into the culvert and cross. If you have any doubt for crossing stop till the other side of the vehicles clear the narrow bridge.
• During rainy season, due to hydroplaning i.e. water layer coming between the tyre and the road vehicle may skid and lose control during sudden braking. Hence slow down your vehicle and it's safe to drive in the tire lines of the front vehicle. The tyre should have minimum tread otherwise it is a dangerous.
• Don't cross the low level bridges when the water is flowing from the top of the bridge as we don't know the water flow intensity and the damages on the bridge. Any small negligence may cost a lot and the vehicle along with the contents may flood away with the flow of water.
• When you are entering on to main roads, don't enter suddenly as shown in the below fig, as there will be speeding vehicles ply on the main road the driver may not see you and he can't stop the vehicle unless he sees you in advance. Hence come little bit near to the main road and check, if there is no vehicle enter smoothly on the left side of the main road.
• When you are changing lane i.e. moving from leftto right lane or vice versa or turning left side or right side check in the rear view mirror and signal (If your electric signal doesn't function give hand signal described in the Road Regulation13 in the chapter 9) look over the shoulder in which direction you are moving for blind spot (the vehicle in this area doesn't show in the mirrors and they are very dangerous as they are just besides your vehicle) as shown in the fig. If there is no vehicle then turn the vehicle in which direction you were signalled. If you make turn or change lanes without showing the direction the vehicle following you may hit you and cause a serious crash.
• Some motor cyclist owners they turn the rear view mirrors inside (as shown in the figure) to see their face in the mirrors while driving. It's very dangerous in two ways one is you can't observe the vehicles coming behind you and second when looking in to the mirrors you will be distracted.
• While crossing unguarded railway crossings, ensure that there is no train on the track and cross the track. At some places due to bushes, buildings or any object, view may be blocked. In these cases please get down from the vehicle and look both sides or to ensure fully, bend and keep your ear on the track if you hear any sound or vibrations then there is a train coming on the track, don't cross.
• While travelling on motor cycles wear helmet by you and pillion driver. If accident happens helmet saves life by avoiding head injury or damage to the sensitive brain due to impact on the head. By wearing helmet, we can save 70 % deaths in two wheeler accidents by avoiding head injury.
• While traveling in cars, buses, drivers in trucks, please wear seat belts, in case of accident it protects you from injuries or deaths in three ways
a. A shoulder strap also helps keep your head and upper body away from the dashboard, steering wheel, and other hard interior parts of the automobile should you stop suddenly or be hit by another vehicle.
b. A seat belt is designed to protect these two critical areas. "Head injuries may be hard to see immediately, but they can be deadly,", spinal cord injuries can have serious consequences.
c. "People thrown from a vehicle are four times more likely to be killed than those who remain inside".
• Follow the defensive driving skills and save yourself and others by avoiding road accident.For example, sometimes the rear vehicle driver follows too closely, to avoid rear end crash give him side and let the rear driver pass you.
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