Road Safety Month 2021: 7 Safety Tips For New Drivers

The Government of India is observing its first-ever 'National Road Safety Month' this year, between January 18, 2021, and February 17, 2021. Every year around 1.5 lakh people lose their lives in a road accident. For their part, the government and police authorities are taking several safety measures to bring this number down, as individuals, we too need to do our part. And the most important one is to practice safe and responsible driving habits right from the training phase. So, here are 7 important safety tips that every young and first-time driver should know.

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Always Buckle-Up: First things first, always wear your seatbelt the moment you get inside your car. Be it stop-and-go traffic or open highways, you may be driving at 10 kmph or 60 kmph, it's always important to wear your seatbelt, and also make sure the other occupants in the car are also buckled-up.

Be it stop-and-go traffic or open highways it's always important to wear your seatbelt, and make sure other occupants in the car are also buckled-up

Stay Alert and Pay Attention: When you are driving a car, it's always important to say alert, and pay attention to your surroundings, other drivers around you, and pedestrians. Many times, an accident can be caused due to the mistake of a fellow driver or a pedestrian, but you are attentive, the worse can be avoided.

Follow Traffic Signals: You must always follow stop signs and traffic lights, irrespective of what time of the day it might be. Just because its 12 am in the night and roads are relatively empty does not mean we can break the signal. Also, remember that the intent of a yellow light is to notify drivers to slow down and prepare to stop. A yellow traffic signal should not be viewed as a sign to step on the gas to rush through an intersection before the light turns red.

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You must always follow stop signs and traffic lights, irrespective of what time of the day it might be

Use Turn Signals: It is very important to let your fellow drivers know what you are up to. Be it switching lanes or making a turn, always use your indicators to let the driver in front and behind you know.

Keep Calm and Don't Honk: When you are on road like Mumbai or Delhi or similar cities, it can be very easy to lose your composer in traffic. The important thing is to stay calm and not honk unnecessarily. If a vehicle gets stalled in the middle of the traffic, irrespective of the fact you are in that vehicle or in the one behind it, one must not panic or get agitated, because that could only make things worse.

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Don't use your phone while driving, it's best to pull over in a safe spot and then speak to then use your phone

Keep Your Phone Away: It's never a good idea to text to speak to someone on your phone while driving. Using your car's Bluetooth or Telephony function may be acceptable for calls in an emergency, however, it's best to pull over in a safe spot and then speak to then use your phone.

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Never Drive Under the Influence: Either you drink, or you drive, never do both. This rule also applies to certain prescription drugs that might make you dizzy for a long period. It's best to avoid driving in such situations either ask a sober friend to drive or take a cab instead.