Dussehra: 5 good road habits to follow, 5 evils to avoid

Dussehra is a festival symbolising the triumph of good over evil, and to celebrate it, we have curated a list of five good habits you should follow and five evils you should avoid when driving on the road.

The Good

1. Always wear your seatbelts

It is the most important thing one should wear in a car, irrespective of the speed and distance one plans to drive. In light of recent events, it has become imperative to wear seatbelts at the rear as well, to ensure better safety for all passengers.

2. Amber means slow down

A common misconception is that when the light turns amber, you should speed up and cross the intersection. However, it is actually meant for you to slow down and wait your turn in the next round. While doing so, you should also always check your mirrors and slow down gradually.

3. Eyes on the road

Leave aside texting while driving, even looking at your co-passengers while talking to them can be extremely dangerous. On the road, things can change in a split second, and make you prone to accidents. So keep your eyes on the road at all times.

4. Lane discipline

Stick to your lane and avoid cutting out frequently and suddenly. Cross over to other lanes only on the dashed white line, not the solid one. And even where there are no markings, it is crucial to follow a general lane discipline, to ensure safety for all on the road. Also, don’t try squeezing between vehicles.

5. All the gear, all the time

Riding a motorcycle is fun, but it's even more fun when done safely. To stay safe on two-wheelers, make sure you have all your gear – helmet and other armour – with you and on you at all times.

The Bad

1. Don’t lose your cool

There’s enough going on the road to make you lose your temper. To avoid building tension and risky situations, ensure you have a calm mind to avoid road rage, otherwise, things can go really bad, really fast.

2. Don’t stop on the side of the road

In case you have to stop your car, pull over completely and into a small space. Blocking even a small portion of the lane causes a domino effect for others behind you, which can lead to accidents in some cases.

3. Avoid using high beams in traffic

High beams for your headlights is only meant to be used when the road ahead is dark and there is less traffic. It is ideally meant for highways and not within city limits, as the latter has the benefit of better illumination through street lights and other sources. Using high beams within the city can cause other road users to have partial, momentary blindness, and things can go bad quickly.

4. Don’t drink and drive

It goes without saying, but avoid driving, or riding after drinking. You should pay all your attention to the road ahead and after drinking, your reflexes slow down, making it difficult to react to situations on the road in time.

5. Avoid unnecessary honking

Manufacturers provide horns in cars and motorcycles to alert other users on the road. However, it is only meant to be used in certain conditions. Honking unnecessarily not only increases the noise pollution on the road, but it also can affect people's hearing. It is important to know when using your horn is required. 

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