For Class 8

FOR CLASS 8th
ROAD SAFETY
What is road safety?
Road traffic safety refers to methods and measures for reducing the risk of a
person using the road network being killed or seriously injured. The users of
a road include pedestrians, cyclists, motorists, their passengers, and passengers of on-
road public transport, mainly buses and trams.
Speed limits
On motorways the maximum speed limit is 120 km/h for Motor Cars / LTV and for HTV /
PSV it is 100 km/h. The minimum speed limit on motorway is 65 km/h. In urban
residential areas on highways and on hilly areas, the speed limit is 50-70 km/h. On
highways maximum Speed limit for Motor Cars / LTV is 100km/h and for HTV maximum
Speed limit is 90km/h. Urban arterial roads generally have an 80 km/h limit and near
School Colleges, Hospitals and mosque maximum Speed limit is 40km/h.
Remember over speeding is dangerous and may cause to a horrible accident.

Speed and accident risk
A higher speed increases the likelihood of an accident. Very strong relationships have
been established between speed and accident risk: The general relationship holds for
all speeds and all roads, but the rate of increase in accident risk varies with initial speed
level and road type. Large speed differences at a road also increase the likelihood of an
accident. In addition, drivers driving much faster than the average driver have a higher
accident risk; it is not yet evident that this is also the case for the slower driver.
Higher speeds: more accidents

High speed reduces the possibility to respond in time when necessary. People need
time to process information, to decide whether or not to react and, finally to execute a
reaction. At high speed the distance covered in this period is longer. At high speeds the
distance between starting to brake and a complete stand still is longer as well. The
braking distance is proportional to the square of speed (v2). Therefore, the possibility to
avoid a collision becomes smaller as speed increases.
1 km/h increase in speed → 3% increase in accidents
Truth of overspending
In practice the relationship is more complex. The exact relationship depends among
many other things on speed level and road type.
The higher the speed, the steeper the increase in accident risk
The relationship between speed and accident risk is a power function: With increasing
speed, the accident risk increases more as the absolute speed is higher.
Always avoid overspending
Overtaking Do not overtake unless you are sure it is safe and legal
to do so. Overtake only on the right. You should:
 check your mirrors
 take time to judge the speeds correctly
 make sure that the lane you will be joining is sufficiently clear
ahead and behind
 take a quick sideways glance into the blind spot area to verify the
position of a vehicle that may have disappeared from your view in
the mirror
 Remember that traffic may be coming up behind you very quickly.
Check all your mirrors carefully. Look out for motorcyclists. When it
is safe to do so, signal in plenty of time, then move out
 ensure you do not cut in on the vehicle you have overtaken
 be especially careful at night and in poor visibility when it is harder
to judge speed and distance. Be sure you have sufficient distance
to return to the same lane or line of traffic without endangering the
vehicle being overtaken or any vehicle coming from the opposite
direction
 Be sure no other vehicle is overtaking your vehicle by checking the
road behind in your mirrors and blind spot
Do not overtake on the left or move to a lane on your left to
overtake. In congested conditions, where adjacent lanes of traffic are
moving at similar speeds, traffic in left-hand lanes may sometimes be
moving faster than traffic to the right. In these conditions you may keep
up with the traffic in your lane even if this means passing traffic in the
lane to your right. Do not weave in and out of lanes to overtake.
Hard shoulder You MUST NOT use the hard shoulder for overtaking.
In areas where an Active Traffic Management (ATM) Scheme is in force,
the hard shoulder may be used as a running lane. You will know when
you can use this because a speed limit sign will be shown above all
open lanes, including the hard shoulder. A red cross or blank sign above
the hard shoulder means that you MUST NOT drive on the hard
shoulder except in an emergency or breakdown. In case of Emergency
you can park your vehicle for a while on Hard Shoulder.
The basic, message and common sense is “do not overtake unless you
are sure you can”.
Complete the maneuvers safely and without causing risk or inconvenience
to another Road user.
 Signal your intention to overtake for long enough to give sufficient
warning to all other road users.
Right way of overtaking
When you overtake, you must:
Leave a safe gap between your vehicle and the vehicle you are overtaking. Do not return to the
lane or line of traffic until you are far enough past the other vehicle to avoid a collision
You must not overtake:
 Where the road ahead is narrow
 On the approach to a children's or pedestrian crossing where another vehicle
is stopping or has stopped to give way to pedestrians
 If there is a sign saying “No Overtaking”
 Approaching a crest, bend or dip in the road where there is not a clear view
for a sufficient distance ahead to allow you to overtake safely
 On approaching an intersection or junction.
Being overtaken
When driving a vehicle being overtaken by another vehicle, you must;
 keep to the left, if safe, to allow a reasonable space for the overtaking vehicle
to pass or
 Keep within your lane and not increase your speed until the other vehicle has
completely overtaken your vehicle and returned to the lane or line of traffic.
Procedure for over taking
 If overtaking is necessary you must make sure it is safe to do so
 Use the right mirror properly and ensure that your right side and right lane is
clear
 Do the rubber neck exercise for clearing the blind spot if necessary.
 Use the indicator in good time for lane changing.
 After changing the lane, switch off indicators.
 After overtaking make sure you are at a suitable distance from the vehicle,
which you have over taken.
 Observe the left mirror and use the left indicator for lane changing from right
to left
Lights
The lighting system of a motor vehicle consists of lighting and signalling devices mounted or
integrated to various parts of a motor vehicle. These may include the front, sides, rear and, in
some cases, the top of the vehicle. The purpose of this system is to provide illumination for the
driver and other road users. This enables safe vehicle operation after dark and increases the
visibility of the vehicle. The lighting system allows other drivers and pedestrians to observe the
vehicle's presence, position, size, direction of travel, and the driver's intentions regarding
direction and speed of travel.
There are several lights in vehicles like head lights, indicators, brake light, reverse light, parking
light, hazard lights, fog lights and room light etc. Each light convey different message and has
different usability. Lights should be used in right time and on required circumstances according
to need.
Hazard lights
Hazard warning lights are a pair of intermittent flashing indicator lights that flash in unison to
warn other drivers that the vehicle is a temporary obstruction. They are also called hazard
flashers and hazard lights. They are usually activated by pressing a button on the dashboard
that looks like a red triangle, as shown.
When should you use hazard warning lights?
They are to warn other road users that you are a temporary hazard. For example, if your vehicle
is broken down on the side of the road, or you are changing a tyre and your cars being towed,
you should use your hazard warning lights.
If you are being towed and you are using your hazard lights, you will need to use hand signals to
indicate direction because the hazard lights override the indicators
When shouldn't you use hazard warning lights?
They shouldn't be used if you are driving in traffic. You should not use them to warn other
drivers if you parked illegally (you shouldn't be parking illegally).

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FOR CLASS 8th

What is road safety?

Remember over speeding is dangerous and may cause to a horrible accident.

Higher speeds: more accidents

1 km/h increase in speed → 3% increase in accidents

Right way of overtaking

When you overtake, you must:

When shouldn't you use hazard warning lights?

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