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Road etiquette can reduce traffic chaos

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Road safety is a concern for all irrespective of gender. Lack of etiquettes on roads will prove fatal to the lives of citizens. Road safety is a priority and concern to all of us and there is a need of regularly reinforcing this message. True costs of accidents are rarely assessed, and can only be of full value if evaluated to formulate future projections of loss probability and effective safety management. It seems as if no one is interested in striking at the root of the traffic problems: poor driver education. Road users should avoid driving recklessly. The other example of neglecting while driving or riding are using hand phone while driving, driving when you are sleepy, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol and playing loud music while driving. If the authorities are interested in proper traffic management, the RTOs need to be modernized and upgraded.

Bikers often indulge in reckless driving and action must be taken against them. Roads are a mess today not because of the bad quality of work, but due to inferior planning. Lane sizes, pedestrian crossings, traffic signals or left-turns are poorly designed. All of this reckless act can be overcome by taking some steps such as use Bluetooth phone devices when receiving or making a call while driving. If the authorities are interested in proper traffic management, the RTOs need to be modernized and upgraded. Duty timings of traffic cops should also be extended to man this busy junction to check erring motorists. Many people drive at 6-7 in the evening with their high-beams on, which can disrupt the view of driver on the opposite side.

Also, lane-driving must be made mandatory. Drivers must be sensitized about the rights of the pedestrians. Roads are in dire straits today not because of the bad quality of work, but due to faulty planning. Lane sizes, pedestrian crossings, traffic signals or left-turns are poorly designed. We should fix these issues at the earliest.

Lack of knowledge about correct use of high-beam headlamps creates problem at night. People are granted license with little knowledge about honking and lighting norms. This is a bad practice as it can result in accidents.

There’s no concept of lane-driving. All they understand is that the road is their race track and they need to be the first one even if that means overtaking a guy who just gave the indicator to take a turn. At traffic signals, people taking a right-turn tend to stop in the middle of the lane, thus blocking the traffic. If we go through statistics of road accident data of 2015 reveals that around 1,374 accidents and 400 deaths take place every day on Indian roads, resulting in 57 accidents and loss of 17 lives on an average every hour. The Supreme Court has also expressed its concern at the high number of road accident fatalities – 1.5 lakh – every year in India.

Stringent laws against drunk and rash driving, proper and effective enforcement of the laws and the tough and sincere judiciary in dealing with the accidents alone could ultimately have a positive effect in dealing with the ever growing accidents. Cops tend to overlook the bikers who ride without a helmet and are involved in rash driving, but they impose fine on someone, who may be in a hurry to reach hospital, for over speeding. If people drive more sensibly, our roads will be safer for all. Let’s stop giving excuses, instead look for solutions on the basis of suggestions received from experts and concerned citizens. People must be taught road etiquette, which could reduce 50 per cent of disarray on streets.

(The views expressed by the author in the article are his/her own.)

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