The National Highways network of India is a community of trunk roads that are owned by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. It is constructed and managed with the aid of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL), and the public works departments (PWDs) of central governments. NHAI is governed the National Highways Authority of India Act, 1988. There are certain rules which has to be followed while driving on highways in India. These are as follows:
HIGHWAY RULES
Always keep left on a two-way road and allow the traffic to pass from the opposite direction and on a one-way road allow the traffic to overtake you from the right side of your vehicle.
When on a 4 ways toll road (2 lanes on every facet), continually live at the leftmost lane and use the right lane to best overtake the car in front. The using behaviour modifications in case you are on a 6 lane Highway (three lanes on each facet).The speed of motors will increase as one action from the leftmost lane to the rightmost lane. Hence the leftmost lane is normally for slower cars such as vans and a couple of wheelers. The secure guess is to be on the middle lane if one is using a vehicle and use the rightmost lane only to overhaul the slower automobile in the front. While using speedy at the rightmost lane could be satisfied in case you are already at high vital factor to the word is to offer manner to the quicker automobile which is coming at the back of you inside the equal rightmost lane. In case a quicker car comes at the back of you on the rightmost lane, it’s far best to place your left indicator and circulate to the middle lane to the present manner to the dashing vehicle. This would permit safe passage to the automobile behind. This applies best to the automobiles on the rightmost lane. Speeding motors at the back of your car this is already at the centre lane would mechanically alternate to the rightmost lane to overhaul.
OVERTAKING:
Overtaking is when you approach from behind and pass a vehicle travelling in the same direction. The rules for overtaking on a multi-lane or unlined road are similar to those for a single-lane road. Bicycle riders and motorcyclists are harder to see in traffic and do not have the same protection as drivers. When overtaking bicycle riders allow at least 1 metre clearance, or 1.5 metres when travelling over 60 km/h.
It’s not enough to just have a clear road ahead to overtake, you also need to make sure that the vehicle you’re overtaking knows your intention. A couple of quick dabs on the horn in daytime and flashing the high beam during the night will indicate that you’re overtaking. This will prevent the vehicle you’re overtaking from accidentally swerving into your path.
Never drive fast on the left lane:
On a lot of expressways, the middle and fast lanes are occupied by slow-moving trucks. The temptation to avoid these trucks entirely and speed on the left-most lane is high for car drivers. Don’t do it. The left lane is a place where all kinds of vehicles break down, and all kinds of slow moving traffic are found. There have been a spate of incidents involving cars running into stationary trucks, tractors, etc. Never drive fast on the left lane.
WRONG PARKING
Do not park at or near a road crossing or on top of a hill or on a footpath; too near a traffic light or pedestrian crossing; on a main road or a road with heavy traffic; in front of or opposite another parked vehicle to cause obstruction; on roads that have a white line; near a bus- stop, school or hospital entrance; right next to a traffic sign thereby blocking it for others; at the entrance of a building; near a fire hydrant thereby blocking access to it; where parking is specifically prohibited.
TAKING ‘U’ TURN:
No vehicles shall take a ‘U’ turn as ‘U’ flip is specifically prohibited and on busy site visitor’s road. If a ‘U’ turn is allowed the vehicle shall display signal by using a hand as for a proper flip, watch inside the rear view reflect and flip whilst secure to accomplish that.
TRAFFIC SIGN AND TRAFFIC POLICE:
A driver of a motor vehicle and every other person using the highway shall obey: — (a) every direction given, whether by signal or otherwise, by a police officer or any authorised person for the time being in-charge of the regulation of traffic; (b) any direction applicable to him and indicated on or by notice traffic sign or signal fixed or operated by an authority, competent to do so; (c) any direction indicated by automatic signalling devices fixed at road intersections.
CONCLUSION:
Road safety is a safety measure to reduce the risk of highway accidents and road side injury because of the mistakes of people while driving on the highway. We cannot count the daily accidents and death of people because of the driving mistakes and lack of highway rules followers. Every person going on the highway road has risk of injury or death. Everyone needs to be well aware of the highway road traffic rules especially children and young people who are at significant road accident risks. According to the statistics (World Health Organization, 2008), it is found that most of the hospitalization cases and leading cause of death are because of the road trauma.
By Shradhanjali Patra
Law Student, IME Law College, Ghaziabad