We see lots of vehicle’s plying on the road, from two wheeler to latest SUV’s and even the big trucks . They ply on the road stunning someone or the other, may be the model, the sound or the curve design of the car. The drivers who ride or drive are also great, some are young, some are old, some are male , some female... some dark, some beautiful !!
But it’s not the vehicles we all ride or drive that matters. It matters whether we are or we are not responsible riders and drivers which includes me too. Do we all really know the rules and regulations for riding and driving safely. We all have families who wait till we reach home back. We all have the skills of riding and driving but knowingly or unknowingly sometimes we miss the basic rules and regulations while on road which leads to accidents with the loss of our loved ones.
Here in this article, I am trying to put up some points which may help all of us someday...and make us good drivers.
Knowing someone has been to driving school or seeing that they drive a manual car is a pretty good indicator they’ll be a decent driver. But how can you tell who’s good when you’re already on the road?
Spotting a good driver on the highway can be tough. Just because they’ve got a nice car doesn’t mean they have any clue what they’re doing.
A good driver will always have a note of the following:
• Keep left to allow the traffic to pass on a two-lane road coming from an opposite direction on the right side and allow the vehicles on one-lane road behind you to overtake from the right.
• When turning left, be on the road’s left side from where you leave as well as from where you enter. When turning towards right, move towards the road centre when you leave and when you enter, arrive near road’s left side.
• Slow down your speed at pedestrian crossings, road corners, intersections and road junctions and wait there till the passage ahead gets cleared. If you enter the main road then give way of passage to the vehicles passing by on the right side as the traffic on the main roads are not regulated.
• Hand signals becomes necessary to give at times. Extend and pull out your right hand’s palm down when slowing the vehicle and swing the hand in the down and up direction. While stopping, your forearm should be raised outside vertical to the vehicle, while changing the road lane or turning right towards left side, extend and rotate the right arm in a direction of anti-clockwise. To let the vehicle overtake behind you, swing the right arm forwards and backward in a motion of semi-circular.
• Direction indicators instead of giving hand signals make use of direction indications and in case of emergency, use both.
• Wearing a helmet for two wheeler drivers are compulsory. The helmet should bear and conform to ISI mark and ISI standards. It works like a shield or a cover for the head during any mishap that occurs. It is so designed that it provides individual safety. It is not for covering any legal prosecution. Tie the helmet strap properly for the safety otherwise the strap of the helmet may slip from the head during any head injury in an accident.
• Do not park near or at any road crossing, on a walking footpath or on the hill top, near pedestrian crossing or traffic light, road having heavy traffic or on main road, opposite or in the front of another vehicle parked to cause any obstruction, on white line roads, near hospital entrance, school or bus stop, next to the traffic signal whereby blocking the path for others, near any fire hydrant whereby the access gets blocked, at any building’s entrance, where it is restricted to park.
• The Registration mark on the vehicles should be very legible, visible and clear all the time. Motor vehicles should not be loaded with any goods that obstruct the marks, or the tail or other lights which are required for the vehicles safety.
• Do not drive on one-lane road. Reversing the vehicle in a wrong direction in a one-lane street is prohibited.
• Do not cross the yellow line even while you are overtaking, that divides the road. On roads having defined lanes, appropriate signal indicators should be used before changing the lanes.
• Do not cross the stop line that is painted when you are stopping at any road intersection or junction or any pedestrian crossing. Beyond the marked line, your vehicle shall not move in any case.
• Towing is permitted for only the vehicles which are disabled mechanically or motor vehicles incompletely assembled, side cars and registered trailers. Other than this, vehicles can be towed to any nearest garage for delivery or at petrol pumps when they are untimely damaged.
• Use the horn when it is essential only and not in any silence zone area. Do not use or fit any multi-toned, loud or shrill and harsh sounding alarms or horns in the vehicles that cause disturbance. It is also prohibited to have vehicles with altered silencers on the road.
• Direction given to the drivers which are either through the regulating traffic police officers or through traffic signals or road signals should always be followed. It is an offense if such directions are violated.
• Maintain adequate distance from any vehicle driving ahead of your vehicle in order to avoid any collision from taking place in case the vehicle in front stops of slows down suddenly, it might cause accidents.
• Do not brake suddenly other than for safety reasons.
• On mountains and steep roads, any vehicle that is driving uphill on a road must be provided the correct way by the vehicles that are coming downhill. The road in case not sufficiently wide to give way then stop your vehicle on any road side and let the driver who is going uphill on the road proceed first.
• When road repair work is in progress, slow down the speed of the vehicle and drive at a maximum of 25 km/hours speed
• Drivers of tractors and goods vehicles are not allowed to carry passengers for reward or hire. The driver in tractors should not have any extra person and should not have more than the required person permitted to have in the cabin of the driver in goods vehicles.
• Do not carry goods on any vehicle in such a way that it causes any danger to any person, or load it in a way that the material or the goods on the vehicle laterally extends to the front, rear side or beyond any sides of the motor vehicle. Carrying dangerous, flammable or explosive substances are prohibited on public service vehicles.
• Carry only one pillon rider on a two wheeler. A rider can sit only on vehicles back seat. The rider should not be allowed to stand or sit (even children) in the front seat. It is illegal and dangerous as well as when applying sudden brakes, the person sitting in front gets thrown out . It is a violation of thee law to carry any goods on a two wheeler due to imbalance caused to the rider that leads to accidents.
• Do not drive backwards longer than is necessary and ensure that no inconvenience or danger is caused to any vehicle or any person while driving backwards
• Do not drive if you have any sickness or not well or taking any medications that impairs your abilities of driving including tonics containing some alcohol content.
• While overtaking, overtake from the right direction of the motor vehicle being passing by. If there is an indication from the front vehicle driver indicating his turning towards right then you should pass from the left side. Remember to not overtake heavy vehicles or cut their way as they need much space to stop or slow down.
With the above points keeping in mind , we might all be able to be a responsible and a good driver.
