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India aims to reduce the number of road mishaps and death toll on its roads by 50% before 2024, as informed recently by our Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Shri Nitin Gadkari. In our country, approximately 1.5 lakh+ people die due to road accidents every year!
With such alarmingly high numbers of on-road vehicle accidents and fatalities, it becomes extremely crucial for any car owner or user to understand and practice the standard road safety rules as well as have additional knowledge regarding the innovative technologies and road safety devices/solutions that are available today. Hence, in this article, we have outlined some uncommon yet highly useful tips and suggestions to help India’s car owners/drivers avoid, or at least minimize, the risks of road accidents:
Learn and Implement Defensive Driving Mode: Defensive driving is a practice that helps drivers consciously reduce the risks linked to driving. By learning to drive defensively, drivers would be able to anticipate scenarios that could result in a mishap. As and when more people in India will execute this strategy, there will be lesser accidents and roads will be safer to drive.
Avoid driving if unwell or stressed: One shouldn’t drive if they are feeling fatigued, ill or mentally distracted or drowned, as these can slow down the reaction times or reflexes, which are much needed while driving on road. One should be in a 100% alert and attentive mode while driving on the road – no compromises on this can be and should be done!
Adjust & Adapt as per the Weather Conditions: When the weather does not seem to be ideal or perfect, or if there’s a forecast that there will be heavy rains or extreme fog, in such cases one must take extra precautions/measures while driving and must follow the Government (or relevant authority)-approved guidelines for staying safe, especially if facing unusual stations or environments during your drive. While driving in the rain, storms or foggy weather or even for low visibility conditions, turning on the car headlights is also a wise idea to ensure your on-road safety!
Cut Out Distractions during Driving: Calling and/or messaging while driving are major distractions that many a times lead to serious road accidents; also, this is a punishable crime in India. Hence, one should entirely avoid taking calls or using mobile phones while driving. In case of urgent/emergency calls, the best practice to pull over to the side of the road, complete the conversation and then resume driving. Loud music/listening to the news etc. inside the car are the other distractions one should try to avoid while driving on a busy road.
Bonus Tip — Use a DSM-enabled Camera: Pune-basedSafe Cams Digital Eye (SCDE Solutions) has designed a technologically-advance device that alerts the driver if he gets distracted from driving; the device is known as Driver State Monitor or DSM. DSMs are cameras that use AI algorithms to monitor a driver’s face patterns and gestures to ensure that the driver is not falling asleep, smoking, using a mobile phone or getting distracted in any way whatsoever from looking at the road ahead while driving. One must equip such devices in his/her vehicle to reduce risks of accidents due to distracted or drowsy driving.
