Did you know that there are over 250 million vehicles on the road in India? That seems like a LOT right? And with so much traffic on the roads, it’s very important that you’re safe out there while you’re driving.
Driving your car or bike requires a lot of your focus and attention. Getting distracted or not following the traffic rules can cause a life-altering accident. But, keeping your full attention on the road is the easiest way to avoid accidents and keep the roads safer for everyone. After all, whether you’re alone or with passengers, driving safely should always be your top concern.
You can’t always rely on your fellow drivers to follow the rules and keep you safe, so you need to make sure that you’re following all the major road safety tips for drivers.
1. Follow the rules
The most important thing to remember is that you need to follow the traffic laws and rules. When you disobey the rules by doing things like driving under the influence, speeding, or even not wearing your seatbelt or helmet, you’re not just breaking the law. Doing these things would also be considered illegal and can lead to fines and other penalties, as well as accidents.
2. Make sure you’re covered by a motor insurance
This isn’t so much a safety tip as it is a precaution you can take. A Motor Insurance will be able to protect you against any financial losses and damages to your vehicle in case you get into an unfortunate situation.
Basically, it is like a safety net that can protect you from having to dip into your saving to pay for any losses in the case of these accidents. Also, having at least a valid third-party insurance is mandatory according to the Motor Vehicles Act.
3. Pay attention to the road
The next most important thing you need to do probably seems really obvious – paying attention! Yes, it might seem like a very obvious thing to point out, but consider this. Once you learn how to walk, how often do you actually pay attention to how you walk?
Well, it can be like that with driving. Once you’re really comfortable with being on the road, it can be tempting to multitask while driving – things like fiddling with the radio, picking up something you dropped, or even listening to loud music might not seem like much, but they can become a distraction. So being alert can really help you stay out of any potentially dangerous situations.
4. Be careful of bad weather
Driving isn’t always easy even when the weather is perfect! And when there’s rain or fog it will be a whole lot harder. So, if you know you’re going to be driving in bad weather you will have to be extra careful.
The best thing you can do is to slow down. Rain and fog can cause low visibility, which can make judging distances difficult, and on top of that, driving too fast can cause your vehicle to lose friction and skid on wet roads.
5. Try not to eat and drive
When you’re rushing on your way to work or you’re in the middle of a really long road trip it can seem like a great idea to multitask and grab a quick bite. But this kind of multitasking can be a big distraction because it takes away your full attention from the road, and that can cause accidents.
So, unless it’s an emergency, it’s probably best to wait until you either reach your destination or you get the time to pull over and eat or drink.
6. Talking on the phone is a bad idea
These days there are more and more devices to make it easier to use your phone while your hands are busy driving. But talking to someone, even if it’s hands-free can be very distracting. Just imagine you heard a juicy piece of gossip from your friend, wouldn’t that be more interesting than the road and vehicles in front of you? 😆
According to the new Motor Vehicle rules, drivers can use their phones for navigation tool, but only for this one purpose. If you’re caught doing anything else, you can end up paying a fine of up to ₹ 5,000.
7. Avoid driving if you’re really unwell
By now we have probably established that being distracted and driving aren’t really a good combination. One thing that can make you very distracted (though you may not even realize it) is when you are stressed, tired or unwell.
When you’re really tired, you’re not likely to be paying full attention to the road, and in some situations, there might even be a chance of you falling asleep at the wheel. So, for example, if you’re planning to take a long journey or a road trip, make sure you’re well rested or that if you really need to, you can pull over to the side of the road and sleep for a while!
On the other hand, if you’re ill or have a fever, it can make you disoriented and slow down your reaction time, so try not to drive yourself if possible.
8. Safely secure any baggage
If you’re planning to carry heavy items in your car’s trunk or on the back of your bike, it’s important to ensure that they can’t budge.
Perhaps you’re headed on a road trip or you just bought a new bookshelf and you’re taking it home. Whatever the case, if you’re going to lug around a lot of bags or cargo, make sure it’s secured. This way, nothing will move around while the vehicle is in motion, which can throw you off balance.
Hopefully, now you feel better prepared to go out there and be a safe driver. Always remember that when you’re driving your decisions don’t just affect you but all the other people on the road too. Knowing all the things that are likely to distract you when you're behind the wheel will help you avoid then and ensure that you keep your focus on the road so that you can avoid disastrous accidents.
Most people think that nothing will ever happen to them (and we hope so too!) — until one day, it just does. The best way to ensure that you always have someone on your side when it comes to keeping you and your vehicle safe, is to get a motor insurance.
