RULES OF ROAD(Part2)

U Turn

After ensuring that there is no prohibition to take a U-turn, also make sure:

 That the road is wide enough for this manoeuvre
 That there is no traffic approaching from either side and you have full visibility of the road on both sides.

Speed

Driving at a high speed does not give you sufficient reaction time to observe hazards. Other road users too, get less time to react. The higher the speed, the greater the stopping distance and larger the chances of an accident.

The golden rule for speed:
Drive at a speed that will allow you to stop well within the distance you can see clearly


Following Distance

Always maintain sufficient distance between the vehicle you are driving and the vehicle in front of you in order to avoid collision in case the vehicle ahead slows down or stops suddenly. Avoid applying the brakes abruptly unless it is necessary to do so for safety reasons.

The law also provides that the driver if a motor vehicle moving behind another vehicle shall keep at a sufficient from the other vehicle to avoid collision if the vehicle in front should suddenly slow down or stop.

Overtaking

One of the major causes of road accidents is callous overtaking. So, you have an important responsibility while overtaking. Be careful while you observe oncoming vehicles in the overtaking exercise. You must only overtake when you are sure that after completing the manoeuvre you can return to your side of the road without obstructing the oncoming traffic or getting in the way of vehicles you are overtaking.

Take extreme care when overtaking on roads with undivided carriageway. Impatient drivers may not want to reduce their speed and may remain in the middle of the road resulting in head-on collisions.

When overtaking, keep in mind:
 Overtake from the right of the vehicles you are passing
 Do not overtake if the driver of the vehicle in front of you indicates that he is turning right.
 Never cut onto heavy vehicles. They need more room to slow down and stop.

Do not attempt to overtake if:
 Your passing is likely to cause inconvenience or danger to other traffic proceeding in any direction.
 You are near a pedestrian crossing , intersection or railway crossing
 You are on a road where overtaking is not allowed.
 The vehicle you are wanting to overtake has started accelerating
 The vehicle to be overtaken is displaying ‘L’ plate.
 Emergency vehicle
 VIP entourage
 you cannot see clearly ahead due to dazzle of oncoming traffic
 a large vehicle is blocking your vision, as there may be slow moving vehicles in front

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RULES OF ROAD(Part 1)

Keep left
How far from the left side of the road you should drive depends upon the road condition and the type of traffic on it. But, as a driver you must drive sufficiently to the left

Lane driving
Every road has lanes, whether marked or not. Where they are not marked, divide the road mentally into appropriate lanes. Where it is marked, drive within your lane. Change only if it is safe to do so and after giving a proper signal. A good driver never weaves in and out of a lane. In a traffic hold-up, don’t try to get ahead by jumping the queue or by cutting into another lane.

Changing Lanes
If you need to move into another lane, check through your rear view mirror and look over your shoulder for the traffic following you, if it is safe, give the proper signal and then change lanes. After you have changed your lane or overtaken, make sure that the indicator given to change lane is switched off.

Turning left and right
Whether you are going to make a left or right turn, you should be in the correct lane well before reaching the intersection. You should be in the lane closest to the direction in which you are going to turn. Never turn from the wrong lane across another lane of traffic. This unexpected move can be dangerous.


Reverse driving
Reverse driving could be dangerous. Make sure you have rear side view mirrors on you left and right doors in addition to the one fitted inside.


Before you reverse make sure there are no pedestrians, specially children or any other impediments on the road behind you. Be particularly careful of the blind areas that are obscured form the driver’s seat. Never reverse from a side road on to a main road.

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BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ROAD SAFETY

o Respect traffic rules/regulations and signs/symbols: As a road user your acts should be governed by an inborn will to be safe and let others safe on roads. This would come only when you have respect for traffic rules and regulations. Lookout for road signs and symbols and follow them.

o Maintain your cool even in adverse situations: You may be burdened with unending number of problems at the home or office, but keep them aside before you venture on to the roads. Always keep yourselves fresh and cool.

o Care & concern for others: Keep in mind that you are not the sole owner of roads but others have similar right on it. Remember that road is not a place to show anger. Prevention of accident should be a major concern of road users.

o Be prepared for any kind of eventuality: Drivers and pedestrian may behave in an unpredictable manner. As a road user you should judge the situation correctly and act accordingly.

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Indian Road Congress: Pedestrian Facilities Norms

General Principles:


• Pedestrian facilities should be planned in an integrated manner to ensure continuous flow.
• Reduce conflict between pedestrians and vehicles.
• Convinience is paramount.

Footpath / sidewalk:


• Should be on both sides
• Minimum width 1.5 meters
• There are criteria based on pedestrians per hour and width of footpath may have to be as much as 4 meters
• In shooping areas, width should be increased by 1 meter (to be treated as dead width)
• When adjacent to building, fences - dead width has to be 0.5 meters


Pedestrian Crossings:


• Types - at grade and grade separated

At grade crossings (crosswalks): Covers both - crossings at intersections and mid-block, can be controlled / uncontrolled by signals.


• Zebra width - 2 to 4 meters
• Not within 150 meters from each other
• Median strip should be adequate width (this is the only reference to pedestrian refuges)
• Mid-block crossings should be provided when distance between two consecutive intersections is more than 300 meters
• Controlled crossings - warranted when one or more of following apply - peak pedestrian volume per hour (P) and vehicles are such that PV (V is squared) more or equal to 10 to the power of 8, approach speeds 65kph, wait times for pedestrians are too long (time not specified) and finally accidents records indicate 5 or more pedestrian injuries a year (not deaths, so threshold is low)
• Control measure could be a push button pelican signal when pedestrians are fewer.

Grade separated: subways / foot over bridges - 2.5 meter width and height, but 4-6 meters width is advisable (there are criteria based on capacity considerations)

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Road Safety for Children

More than 260000 children globally die from traffic injuries. They may have been pedestrians, bicyclists, car occupants, motorcycle riders or motorcycle passengers, or passengers on public transport. In some countries, children work on the streets, usually selling merchandise, where they weave in and out of moving traffic. Disabilities and impairments can hinder the progress of children in their early years depriving them of education and social development.

Traditionally, road safety for children has focused on road safety education - with the assumption that children must be taught how to adapt their behaviour. However, when used in isolation education does not deliver permanent reductions in traffic deaths and serious injuries. The systems approach has proved valuable in delivering greater road safety for children.

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Care of the victim

For every person who dies of a traffic accident injury, hundreds more are injured. Providing good support and care to victims is essential. Appropriate services for the injured can prevent fatalities, reduce the amount of short and long-term disabilities and help victims cope with the impact of injury on their lives.

There is a pressing need to strengthen the quality and availability of pre-hospital trauma care throughout the world. Simple measures such as positioning the victim correctly while waiting for emergency services can mean the difference between life and death. There is an equally a pressing need to strengthen the quality and availability of trauma care at hospitals and clinics. Many low-cost improvements could be made to enhance the care of injured persons including human (training and staffing) and physical resources (infrastructure, equipment and supplies).

Apart from the physical trauma, every road incident with injuries has psychological consequences. Psychological support is essential for both the person involved in a road crash and for relatives.


source-gtkp resource centre
www.gtkp.com

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