Traffic Rules for Drivers

1. Traffic Rules for Drivers

2. Road Signs Mandatory Or Regulatory

3. Road Signs Cautionary

4. Who Has the Right of Way? Motorists must stop or wait to give a clear passage to the other Vehicle(s) or Individual(s) who have the right of way. • Differently-abled/handicapped persons and children have the right of way at all times. • Pedestrians have the first right at an un-manned intersection. • At an un-manned intersection, traffic on the right has the right of way. • At a roundabout, traffic that has entered the circle before you has the right of way. • Traffic on major road has the right of way over traffic on a by lane wanting to enter the major road. • On hilly and steeps roads vehicles going uphill have the right of way. • Cyclist should be on the edge of the extreme left lane.

5. Who Has the Right of Way? • Emergency vehicles like fire trucks, ambulances, Police have the right of way. These vehicle while on emergency duty can jump red light, drive in no entry areas, or on the wrong side of the road. • These vehicles (Fire trucks, Ambulance, Police) should be given priority and given clear passage. • Pedestrians must be given safe passage over a Zebra crossing. • If a subway/foot over-bridge is available the pedestrian should be regulated to use them to cross the road. • All road users including pedestrians, cyclist, and slow moving vehicles should strictly obey traffic rules. • Traffic going straight along the road will have the right of way over traffic intending to turn right or left. Merely showing the indication to go right or left does not give the right of way.

6. Road markings Road markings serve a very important function in conveying to road users information and requirements which might not be possible using upright signs. They have the advantage that they can often be seen when a verge-mounted sign is obscured, and, unlike such signs, they can provide a continuing message. Road markings have their limitations also. They may be completely obliterated, or their conspicuity may be impaired when wet or dirty, and their effective life is reduced if they are subjected to heavy traffic. Road markings include all lines, patterns, words and colours applied on or attached to the road surface or kerb, for the said purpose

7. Road markings Traffic paints are commonly used for road markings. Other materials such as, road studs, cat's eyes and thermoplastic strips also find their application in road markings. These markings promote road safety and ensure smooth flow of traffic. Sometimes, road markings are used to supplement the message of road signs and other devices.

8. Road markings White is generally used for carriageway (road) markings except those indicating restrictions for which yellow markings are used. White or yellow together with black are used for kerb and object marking.

9. Road markings Centre line On undivided two-way roads, the centre line separates the opposing streams of traffic and facilitates their movements. The centre line can be a single broken line, a single continuous (solid) line called a Barrier line, a double solid line or a combination of solid line and broken line. Single and double solid lines, whether white or yellow, must not be crossed or even straddled.

10. Road markings Road markings Lane lines, Edgelines and Centre barrier line markings for a four lane road

11. Road markings Double white/yellow lines Double Continuous lines are used where visibility is restricted in both directions.Neither stream of traffic is allowed to cross the lines. Stop Line A stop line is a single solid transverse line painted before the intersecting edge of the road junction/ intersection. This line indicates where you are required to stop when directed by traffic officer, traffic light of stop sign. Where a pedestrian crossing is provided, the stop line is marked before the pedestrian crossing.

12. Road markings Yellow box junctions or keep clear These are yellow crossed diagonal lines within the box. The vehicles should cross it only if they have a clear space available ahead of the yellow box. In this marked area vehicles must not stop even briefly. Pedestrian (Zebra) Crossings These are alternate black and white stripes painted parallel to the road generally known as zebra crossing. Pedestrians should cross a road only at the point where these lines are provided and when the signal is green at controlled crossings. A motorist must stop and give way to pedestrians at these crossings.

13. Road markings Warning lines Used where visibility is low. May also be used to highlight an approaching road junction, a pedestrian crossing or any other hazard. Warning lines are much longer in length than normal lane lines. Chevron markings Chevron markings are intended to separate streams of traffic travelling in the same direction, e.g. on the approach to a junction or to a pedestrian refuge in a one-way street (Fig-a). They may also be used at the bifurcation or convergence of two motorways or similar roads (Fig-b). Vehicles must not enter chevron areas. Fig-a Fig-b

14. Road markings Hatch markings Often used to separate opposing flows of traffic (Fig-c). Also used to indicate a reduction in lanes (Fig-d). Vehicles are prohibited from entering hatch marking areas except on an emergency. Fig-c Fig-d 'Give way' sign and road markings You must give way at the line to traffic on the major road. Stop if necessary. Give way to pedestrians crossing or waiting to cross the minor road.

15. Road markings No passing (overtake) zones Do not overtake when you have a solid (continuous) line on your right.

16. Precautions to be taken by Drivers At an Intersection C Zebra Crossing S T O P Nearly 50% of all driving collisions in cities occur at intersections.

17. Precautions to be taken by Drivers At an Intersection Choose the left lane if you want to turn left, the middle lane if you want to go straight, and the right lane if turning right, at least 100 meter in advance. Slow down while approaching an intersection. Give proper indication for at least 5 seconds before you change lane or turn. If the signal for you is not green, stop before the stop line wherever there is a stop line. Stay clear from the zebra crossing. Wait until signal is green and pedestrian crossing is clear. If the signal allows you to go, proceed slowly and cautiously. While approaching an intersection which is not signal-controlled, cover the break and be prepared to stop. Give way to traffic on your right or to all others that have right of way.

18. Precautions to be taken by Drivers While entering and leaving a round about Choose your lane as per your exit at least 100 meter in advance. Slow down while approaching a roundabout. Give way to traffic on your right. Merge slowly with the traffic inside the roundabout. Move towards your exit gradually giving proper indication. While turning left to exit the roundabout, be watchful of vehicles on your left and allow them to pass. Be watchful of a pedestrian or an animal that may suddenly appear.

19. Precautions to be taken by Drivers • While Overtaking • Never over take from left, always over take from right. • Show your intentions of overtaking clearly to your fellow drivers in front. • Give proper indication before overtaking. • Wait to see what signal the other vehicle has given. Never overtake when the vehicle in front has asked you to wait. • Be watchful of a pedestrian or an animal that may suddenly appear in front of the vehicle you are over taking. • On roads having two-way traffic, overtake only when an oncoming vehicle is at safe distance. • Never overtake at a blind turning when you do not see what lies ahead.

20. Precautions to be taken by Drivers • While Turning • Give proper indication. • Start changing lane only when the vehicles behind you have understood your intention. • Slow down while approaching the turning point. • Turn only when there is sufficient gap between you and vehicles coming from the front and vehicles coming from behind. • Vehicles going straight along the road have the right of way. • Watch out for pedestrian as well as vehicles coming from your right side. • While turning left, give way to vehicles coming from behind on your left. • While turning right, give way to vehicles coming from behind on your right.

21. Driving on a Highway/Expressway Fast Lane Slow Lane A Six-lane Expressway

22. Driving on a Highway/Expressway On an Expressway you may not be required to stop at any point. Do not occupy the fast lane except while overtaking. Stick to the middle lane(s) while cruising. Leave the lane on your right unoccupied. Remember that another vehicle may overtake you without indications such as blowing horn. Do not overtake from the left side. Do not overtake in a no passing (overtake) zone. Heavy vehicles should use the slow lane. Drive within the prescribed speed limits. Remember that the upper speed limit or the lower speed limit or both may be specified. Always keep your vehicle neatly between the lane markings. Never position your vehicle over a Lane line marking.

23. Driving on a Highway/Expressway • Never drive on the wrong side of the road. • 10 Do not stop on any of the lanes. If you must stop for some reason, pull up your vehicle on the stop area or service area outside the edgeline. Turn on your emergency flashers. • Always give indication for changing lane even if you do not see any other vehicle nearby. • 12. Watch out for cuts in the central verge made at intervals to permit U-turn. • 13. Watch out for animals, pedestrians and other road users. • 14. Pedestrians and slow moving vehicles should use only the service road and should not come on to the expressway.

24. Assam Transport Department Speed Limits . • LMV other than transport vehicle= no speed limit • 2. LMV which is a transport vehicle= 65kph. • 3. Motorcycle=50 kph. • 4. Medium or heavy passenger motor vehicle:65 kph. • 5. Medium or heavy goods vehicle=65 kph • 6. Vehicle drawing a trailer= 50 kph. • 7. LMV drawing trailer with more than two wheels= 50 kph. • 8. Heavy goods vehicle or heavy passenger vehicle drawing single trailer= 40 kph. • 9. Heavy goods vehicle or heavy passenger vehicle used by fire brigade = 50kph • 10. Any other vehicle = 30 kph.

25. Driving at Night • Make sure that your battery and dynamo are in good condition. • Be watchful of pedestrians, bicycles, animals and hand-drawn vehicles that operate without lights. • Drive at a slow speed to get a safe reaction and stoppage time. • Use parking light/indicators when visibility decreases. Turn on the head lights before it is completely dark. • Drive with dipped headlight in places where roads are amply lit. • If driving on high beam, lower the headlight beam when a vehicle comes from opposite direction.

26. Driving at Night • Keep the headlight clear and clean and check them frequently. Also carry spare bulbs. • Keep your windscreen clean; dirty windscreen can impair vision. • Avoid looking directly at the head lights of oncoming vehicles. Look at the ‘dark’ area directly in front of you. • To reduce the glare of light coming from behind, tilt your interior rear view mirror or the exterior rearview mirrors as per necessity. • Don’t mistake a cock-eyed vehicle with one head lamp for a two wheeler. • Before over taking, ensure that the oncoming vehicle is at a safe distance.

27. Driving at Night • Watch out for jay-walkers at night in rural areas. The shrubbery on the central divider in four lane highways often hide intending sprinters who may misjudge the speed and distance of oncoming traffic. Look out for them. • Watch out for stationary trucks and trailers without back-lights or parking lights. They often park on the main carriageway and due to restricted visibility during monsoon rains or winter fog they may be invisible before it is too late to avoid a collision. • Always use auxiliary fog-lamps during rains, foggy conditions or at night or early morning. • It is advisable to use parking lights or even headlights during day time driving if visibility is poor. That way inattentive drivers or other road users will not miss seeing you especially if you are driving a car with low- visibility colors like grey , black or navy blue etc. White vehicles are considered the most visible because white reflects the most light. Think about it !! • Avoid driver fatigue. Rest every two hours.

28. TRAFFIC LIGHTS Traffic lights, also known as traffic signals or stop light, is a signaling device that is positioned at a road intersection, pedestrian crossing, or other location to indicate when it is safe to drive, ride, or walk using a universal color code.

29. TRAFFIC LIGHTS

30. MANUAL TRAFFIC SIGNALS

31. HANDLING VEHICLE EMERGENCIES The most important rule in any emergency is DO NOT PANIC. If you stay calm, you will remember what you should do. If you have power steering or a locking steering wheel, never turn off the ignition key until you have come to a full stop. BRAKE FAILURE: If your brake pedal suddenly sinks to the floor: 1. Pump the brake pedal fast and hard several times. If that does not work… 2. Use your emergency or parking brake, but use it gradually. 3. Shift to a low gear and look for a place to slow to a stop. 4. Make sure your vehicle is off the road. 5. After the vehicle has stopped, call for help. Do not try to drive to a garage. 6.ALWAYS REMEMBER: During brake failure, rely on your engine. Your emergency brake or parking brake is connected to your rear wheels and may not work if your rear brakes have failed. Use engine braking effectively by keeping your calm and then downshifting from 5th or 4th gears, which are overdrive gears, to 3rd, 2nd and then 1st. The vehicle will lose maximum momentum and then use your imagination or local features to bring the vehicle to a complete halt.

32. HANDLING VEHICLE EMERGENCIES TIRE BLOWOUT: If you have a tire blowout, you may hear a loud “bang” then “thump, thump, thump.” The steering wheel may jerk, if one of your front tires have blown, and you may lose control of your vehicle. Blown rear tires are not as dangerous and the car may pull left or right in the direction of the blown tire. IN BOTH CASES: 1. Hold the steering wheel tightly with your hands in the ten minutes past ten-o-clock position. 2. Take your foot off the accelerator, but do not hit the brakes. 3. Let your vehicle slow to a stop completely off the road. 4. Apply brakes only when the vehicle has slowed down. 5. Turn on your emergency flashers. Place big orange triangle on right rear of vehicle. 6. Change the tire only if you can do so without placing yourself in danger. TIP: As far as practicable, use only tubeless radial tires on corrosion free / dent-free steel or alloy rims. These tires have lesser chance of failure compared to traditional tube-type radials or nylon tires. Manufacturers are constantly improving quality and safety specs of tubeless tires but not of low-tech obsolete tube type tires.

33. HANDLING VEHICLE EMERGENCIES RUNNING OFF THE PAVEMENT: If your wheels run off the paved edge of the road, the wheels may pull to the left: 1. Hold the steering wheel tightly. 2. Take your foot off the accelerator, but do not hit the brakes. Only apply gentle brake pressure if necessary. 3. When the vehicle has slowed and you have control of your vehicle, turn back onto the pavement if the lane is free of traffic. STEERING FAILURE: If your vehicle does not turn when you turn the wheel: 1. Take your foot off the accelerator. 2. Let your vehicle slow down by itself. Do not hit the brakes until your vehicle has almost stopped or unless you have to. 3. Turn on your emergency flashers.

34. HANDLING VEHICLE EMERGENCIES HEADLIGHT FAILURE: If your vehicle’s headlights go out: 1. Try the dimmer switch or headlight switch, that might turn them on again. If that does not work... 2. Put on the parking lights, emergency flashers, or turn signals. 3. Pull off the road, but leave the emergency flashers on. STUCK ACCELERATOR: If your accelerator becomes stuck, you should: 1. Shift to neutral. 2. Apply the brakes. 3. Keep your eyes on the road. 4. Look for a way out. 5. Warn other drivers by honking and flashing your emergency lights. 6. Try to drive the car safely off the road. 7. When you no longer need to change direction and have stopped, turn off the ignition. (Turning off the key locks the steering wheel of many vehicles.)

35. HANDLING VEHICLE EMERGENCIES BLOCKED VISION: If your hood suddenly flies open, your windshield wipers fail, or something else blocks your vision: 1. Roll down the window so you can look around whatever is blocking your view. 2. Turn on your emergency flashers. 3. Pull your vehicle off the road. VEHICLE APPROACHING HEAD-ON IN YOUR LANE: 1. Slow down. 2. Pull over to the left and sound your horn. 3. DO NOT swing over into the right lane. The other driver may pull back over into that lane too.

36. HANDLING VEHICLE EMERGENCIES STALLING ON RAILROAD TRACKS: If a train is approaching: 1. Unfasten your seat belt, get out of your vehicle, and off the tracks. 2. Run in the direction the train is coming from. (If you run in the direction the train is heading, you may be hit with debris when the train hits your vehicle.) If there is no train in sight: 1. Roll down your windows and listen for the train. 2. Try to start the engine. If that fails... 3. Put your vehicle in neutral and push it off the tracks.

37. DRIVING TIPS FOR SANE AND SOBER DRIVERS 1. Drive on the left. Make it a permanent habit. 2. Never overtake on blind curves. It’s never safe. 3.Always wear seat belts. Even the cheapest vehicle has them !! 4. NEVER use a cellphone during driving. Park and talk. It’s your life on the line. And the lives of others on the road. Studies have revealed illegal cellphone use during driving to be the number one distraction for otherwise sober drivers. 5.Maintain a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. He/she may stop without warning. 20 feet is recommended . 6. Always keep your hands on the steering wheel in the ten-past-ten position. It facilitates lock-to-lock turns with the greatest ease and is the most efficient way of driving your vehicle with the least fatigue. 7. Never yourself keep or allow any passengers to keep any body part outside a moving vehicle. 8. Adjust your rear view mirror and wing mirrors to eliminate blind spots. 9. Do not ride the clutch with your left foot. It isn't a foot rest. Premature clutch failure is the result. 10.Finally, keep you mind alert for hazards at all times. Indian roads are considered the world’s deadliest. Let’s change that.

38. DRIVERS SHOULD BE FAMILIAR WITH THESE FEATURES OF MODERN CARS AND UNDERSTAND THEIR FUNCTIONS • Central Locking – electronic or manual. • Air Conditioner. • Power Window system. • Seat adjustments. • Steering lock and steering adjustments. • Radial tubeless tyre. • GPS Navigation system. • Electronic Stability Control. • Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA). • Active Cruise Control. • Airbags for protection of driver and passengers. • Traction Control. • Anti-lock Braking System. • Brake Assist System. • Power Steering. • Seatbelts for Driver and passengers.