In the spirit of Dussehra, here are 10 ways to make the roads safer for all.
Dussehra is known for the triumph of good over evil. To celebrate this festival, we have curated a list of five good habits you should follow and five evils you should avoid when driving on the road.
The Good
1. Always wear your seatbelts
It is the most important thing while in a car, even if the car is going fast or slow, or you are in the car even for a short distance. In light of recent events, it has become imperative to wear seatbelts at the back as well, to ensure better safety for all passengers.
2. Amber means slow down
A common misconception is that when the light turns amber, you should speed up and cross the intersection. However, it is actually meant for you to slow down and wait your turn in the next round. When doing so, you should also always check your mirrors and slow down gradually.
3. Eyes on the road
Leave aside texting while driving, even looking at your co-passengers while talking to them can be extremely dangerous. On the road, things can change in a split second, making you prone to accidents. So keep your eyes on the road at all times.
4. Lane discipline
Stick to your lane and avoid cutting out frequently and suddenly. Cross over to other lanes only on the dashed white line, and not the solid one. And even where there are no markings, it is crucial to follow a general lane discipline, to ensure safety for all on the road, and don’t try squeezing between vehicles.
5. All the gear, all the time
Motorcycling is fun, but it is even more fun when done safely. To stay safe on two-wheelers, make sure you have all your gear – helmet and other armour – with you and on you at all times.
The Bad
1. Don’t lose your cool
There’s enough going on the road to make you lose your temper. To avoid building tension and risky situations, ensure you have a calm mind to avoid road rage, otherwise, things can go really bad, really fast.
2. Don’t stop on the side of the road
In any incident where you have to stop your car, pull over completely and into a small space. Blocking even a small bit of the lane causes a domino effect for others behind you which can also lead to accidents in some cases.
3. Avoid using high-beam in traffic
High-beam for your headlights is only meant to be used when the road ahead is dark and there is less traffic. It is ideally meant for highways and not within the city, as the latter has the benefit of better illumination through street lights and other sources of light. Using high-beam headlights within the city can cause other road users to have partial, momentary blindness and things can go bad really quickly.
4. Don’t drink and drive
It goes without saying but avoid driving, or riding, after drinking. You should pay all your attention to the road ahead and after drinking, your reflexes slow down, making it difficult to react to situations on the road in time.
5. Avoid unnecessary honking
Manufacturers provide horns in cars and motorcycles to alert other users on the road. However, it is only meant to be used in certain conditions. Honking unnecessarily not only increases the noise pollution on the road, but it also can affect people’s hearing. It is important to know when using your horn is required.Â
