The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Tips for safe driving

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Thursday, Jan 08, 2009
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Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Tips for safe driving

K. Venkiteswaran

KOCHI: Every single day, 10 people die on Kerala’s roads. Many accidents are caused by wrong overtaking, especially at junctions and curves. We can all use the road safely only if one can predict which way the other is going.

Here are some rules for safe driving, for the Road Safety Week, which concluded on Wednesday, and all-year-round.

Drive on the left side of the road. Always. Even a bicycle on the wrong side can knock down a pedestrian or startle him into the path of another vehicle. Do not drive on the wrong side just to avoid a pothole or a divider.

When you pull out your car or scooter from a parked position, turn on your indicator light, look on all sides and enter the traffic stream only when there is a safe gap.

Do not brake abruptly when you’ve reached your destination. Slow down, signal with your indicator, and park out of the way of other vehicles. If you are in an autorickshaw, tell the driver to slow down and then show him where to stop.

Overtake only when you need to, not to intimidate or prove a point. The driver ahead may have slowed down for a checkpost, pothole, or accident. If you must overtake, overtake only on the right side.

Overtake only when you can see a clear road ahead on the lane you will be passing in. You could otherwise run into a parked lorry, pedestrians, or cattle.

Do not overtake a vehicle and then turn or stop abruptly in front of it.

When the vehicle ahead has a turn indicator on, you must not overtake on that side: if it is waiting to turn right, don’t overtake on the right. If it is waiting to turn left, don’t overtake on the left.

Signal before you turn so that pedestrians and other cars know which way you are going. Honking doesn’t indicate anything but your rudeness.

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