MOTORING CORNER : “Road Safety”

Motoring is not only about the Cars, Lorries and Buses that may ply the roads of any given location. What about the other road vehicles like motorcycles, bicycle, animal driven vehicles as well as the humans and animals that may happen to be on the same roads at one moment or the other; don’t they too play a role in the safety and security of the roads? Road safety is a result of contributing efforts from all the sectors of the society including both civilians and Govt. officials. In addition to the human sufferings, the estimated costs of the road injuries are a noticeable amount in GNP per annum. So, some tips can be fruitful in this direction. Don’t use your mobile phone whilst driving. It always obstructs you by taking your attention away from the main tasks of driving. Some people argue that, they use “hands free” kits while on the road. True, the hand kits free your hands from the phones but do not free your mind from the phone. The reason behind not talking on the phone is all about you having maximum concentration on the road. For your sake and that of other road users, avoid talking on the phone while driving. If you want to talk on the phone, kindly pull up on the roadside. This could cost you a little bit of time but it could save your life or that of another road user! Wear the seat Belt - Regardless of where you drive, and no matter how safe a driver you are, sudden stops and collisions do happen. Even if your vehicle is equipped with air bags, always wear your seat belt. If you don’t, you may not be in the right position to benefit from the protection air bags provide. Air bags do not protect you in a roll-over or side impact collision — so always wear a seat belt. Don’t drink and drive, Alcohol and Cars don’t mix. As mentioned earlier, every driver requires maximum concentration while on the road. You need to make quick judgment and snap decisions while you are driving. Alcohol and a host of many tranquilizers tend to inhibit one’s ability to think normally. You cannot respond to normal stimuli as your brain is under the influence of drink, this makes you prone to miscalculating a host of moves. While under the influence of drink, one tends to over speed, get highly aggressive; this could lead to acts of road rage etc. Always adhere to speed limits. They are there for a reason; in many cases, there will be speed limits because the nature of the road is such that, you need to slow down e.g. sharp bends, road intersections, blind spots, etc. Therefore, always obey the speed limit signs because, they are put there for a purpose. They are either for your own protection or other road users. Just as you would not want to be run down by a speeding vehicle while crossing a road, why would you want to run down others? Save life, drive safely. Don’t drive if tired. If possible, do not drive when you are tired. It is good practice to take periodic stops if you are on a long journey. Say, after every two or three hours, pull up at a soft drink kiosk and have a drink; this tends to refresh you for the next road section. Once you have driven for 8 or more hours, think of having a night stop. Statistics show that, the human body gets exhausted after driving for 8 or so hours. Don’t push your body beyond its natural tolerance! motoringcorner@live.co.uk

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MOTORING CORNER : “Road Safety”