Drive Safely 2

Drive safely 2

As I had written in one of my earlier posts, in our country, thousands of lives are lost in road accidents. Apart from that, hundreds of people become permanently disabled. In this post, we will learn how to prevent accidents through our personal improvement and by changing our behaviour.

Attitude.

The right attitude will help us to prevent accidents. Never overtake –

·         A vehicle stopped at a pedestrian crossing

·         After a No overtaking sign

·         When you are not hundred percent safe. For example,

Ø  A corner or bend

Ø  A narrow bridge or hill

Ø  A junction

·         If you will cause conflict with other road users. For example,

Ø  Approaching road work

Ø  Near a school

Ø  Queuing traffic

·         Be patient and courteous towards other road users

·         Use indicators long enough to make your intention clear to other road users

·         Follow the other vehicles at a safe distance. You must have a clear view of the rear tyre of the vehicle ahead of you touching the road.

·         Allow other vehicles to merge and change the lanes.

·         Accept that all commit mistakes and avoid aggressive behaviour.

·         Have consideration for bikes, cyclists, and pedestrians.

Police and emergency vehicles.

We are obliged to allow police and emergency vehicles having sirens or emergency lights to pass through without any interruption. When you encounter such a vehicle:

·         Don’t panic

·         If it is not possible to move out of the way quickly and safely, remain calm and wait until it is safe to move out

·         Don’t create a dangerous situation by moving suddenly or by performing illegal manoeuvres

·         Be aware of other drivers who may panic and perform dangerous acts

Heavy vehicles.

Heavy vehicles accelerate slowly and require longer distances to halt.

·         Follow the large vehicles at a safe distance and maintain a vision of the road ahead of the heavy vehicle

·         Estimate the vehicle length before overtaking and overtake when it is safe and there is enough room

·         Don’t cut in front of heavy vehicles, especially when they are braking

·         Maintain a constant speed if a heavy vehicle overtakes you, don’t increase your speed

Buses.

Buses can also be considered as heavy vehicles.

·         Exercise caution around buses, especially when they are stopping or entering roundabouts. They may require considerably more space to negotiate

·         Exercise extra caution with regard to school buses

Speed.

Risks associated with speeding include:

·         Increased risk of being involved in a crash

·         Less time to react to hazards

·         Increased likelihood of losing the control of the vehicle

·         Increased stopping distance

Following distance.

Drivers need a safety space around their vehicles.

·         Use ‘two-second rule’ to maintain a safe following distance. Select a fixed point like a post on the road. When the rear of the vehicle ahead passes that object start counting ‘ one thousand one, one thousand two’. Your vehicle should reach when finish one thousand and two which is equivalent to two seconds. Based on the actual condition, adjust your speed. This is good enough for ideal conditions. You may require to have four or six seconds in bad road conditions.

·         Heavy vehicle drivers must allow a following distance of five seconds in good road conditions.

Seeing habits.

1.       Look far ahead. Look at distance that could be covered in 12 – 15 seconds. Assess the road conditions and don’t keep staring. Keep shifting your attention back and forth, far and near. Be prepared based on what you see. Plan your action for the conditions ahead.

2.       Look around and get the big picture. Are drivers preparing to change lanes? Are cars merging from left or right or from both? Are speeding vehicles following too closely?

3.       Keep your eyes moving. Check your mirrors regularly and don’t miss any action. When caught in a tight spot, it becomes difficult to manoeuvre. Make use of the mirrors.

4.       See if you have enough space. Leave space in front when you stop. Avoid the tendency of not leaving any space.

5.       Can others see you? Communicate with them through yours hand signals, lights, indicators, and horn at the appropriate time.

Avoid the following common errors.

·         Excessive speed

·         Changing lanes without indicating and without checking mirrors

·         Distraction inside the vehicle

·         Tailgating – following the vehicle ahead without leaving a gap

·         Inadequate defence-driving skills

·         Incorrect assumption about other drivers

·         Improper manoeuvring

·         Not using seat belts

·         Maintaining tunnel vision