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SAFE DRAVING
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Getting ready to drive
Before driving
· Ensure that you are comfortable with your mental and
physical condition.
· Inspect your vehicle and observe the driving conditions.
· While driving you should carry your driving licence,
registration certificate, insurance certificate and pollution
control certificate. Transport and commercial vehicle
drivers should carry the permits and vehicle fitness certificates
also.
· A combination of knowledge, skill and attitude is required
to be a safe driver.
Knowledge of traffic rules and driving practices that
help traffic move safely.
Skill to care about the safety of others on the road.
We all are responsible for avoiding accidents.
Attitude to co-operate with other drivers to keep traffic
moving safely. We must be courteous, giving other drivers
space to change lanes, not cutting them off and signalling
before turning.
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Physical
and mental alertness
Be in good physical and mental condition before driving.
DON'T DRIVE IF YOU
· have been drinking alcohol.
· taking any medicine or drug that affects your responses.
· are tired as tiredness affects your driving skills and
reaction time.
· are sick or injured.
· are angry or upset.
You could be risking your life or lives of others on the
road.
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Know your vehicle |
Go through the vehicle owner's manual.
You should know the features of the vehicle you are going
to drive. Example - Anti-lock brakes, 4-wheel drive.
Ensure you know where the controls and instruments are and
what they do. Check that all emergency signals and instruments
work.
You should be able to turn on wipers, washers, headlights,
indicators etc. without having to look at them and without
taking your eyes off the road.
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Seating position
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Proper, upright position gives more stability while driving.
Make sure you can see over the steering wheel and hood.
You should be able to see the ground 4-5 feet in front of
the vehicle for proper judgment.
Sit straight upright in the seat with your elbows slightly
bent. Adjust the seat so your feet reach the pedals easily.
Place your feet flat on the floor under the brake pedal.
You are seated properly if you can do this.
Adjust the head-rest to proper height. It protects in case
of a collision.
Cars with air bags: Air bag can cause injuries if the seating
position is incorrect.
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Have
a clear view
You should have a clear view while driving. Make sure nothing
blocks your view. The windows of your vehicle should not
be coated with any material that blocks your view.
Know your blind spots
Blind spot is an area on each side of the vehicle
that you cannot see through the mirrors. Mostly blind spots
are to the back left and back right of the vehicle. In the
above graphic, the red car is in the blind spot area of
the silver car. The green areas in the above graphic show
the blind spots of the silver car.
Adjust the mirrors to get the maximum view and identify
your blind spots. You may not see vehicles when they are
in these spots.
Position the interior mirror so that the centre of the
mirror shows the centre of the rear window. When the interior
mirror is properly adjusted you would be able to see directly
behind your vehicle.
The exterior (wing) mirror adjustment should be made while
seated normally for driving. Do not set the right-hand
extrerior mirror by placing your head against the glass
of the driver's door window. Do not adjust the left-hand
exterior mirror by leaning to the centre of the vehicle.
Side mirrors show only narrow angles of view, so you have
to turn your head to make sure there is nothing in your
blind spots. Check Setting the Wing Mirrors by
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Fasten your seat belt
Fasten your seat belt before you start. Seat belts are for
your safety not just for avoiding challans.
Seat belts should be worn comfortable enough to keep
you in your seat if there is a collision. Put the shoulder
strap over your shoulder, never under your arm. The lap
belt should be put low over the hips, not over the stomach.
SEAT BELT SAVES LIFE
Seat belt keeps you behind the wheel and in control of
the vehicle in case of a collision.
Seat belt keeps your head and body from hitting the inside
of the vehicle.
Seat belt keeps you inside the vehicle in a collision.
A person who is thrown out of the vehicle during the collision
has a higher chance of getting serious injury.
Know how seat belt works
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Turn on headlights
at night and in poor light conditions
Turn on headlights around 30 minutes before sunset and keep
them on until 30 minutes after sunrise. Turn on your lights
when fog or rain reduces your visibility to less than 100
meters.
Keep your headlights clean and get them adjusted regularly
so that they aim properly. In dim light, use your headlights,
not parking lights. Parking lights are only for parking.You
do not need to use highbeams on Chandigarh roads. If you
are travelling on a highway and using highbeam headlights,
switch to lowbeams within 150 metres of an oncoming vehicle.
Switch to your lowbeams when you are less than 60 metres
behind another vehicle. |
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