Driving in India is tough.
The busy roads and uneven road conditions make driving a tiring task. If that is not enough, we sometimes have to share the roads with unpredictable drivers. Some drivers drive at high speeds, some travel in the wrong direction, some change lanes or turn or overtake without any indication, some are distracted on their phones or talking to someone else, and there are those who do all of the above!
This driving behavior is done by all, be it two-wheelers, three-wheelers, cars, trucks, buses, and even cyclists! There is only one result of all this: complete chaos on the roads that leads to a lot of crashes.
You may curse all the other drivers on the road. But that will not help you. There is absolutely nothing that you can do to control the behavior of other drivers. You can only control your own actions.
One of the best ways to keep yourself safe on the roads is to practice a set of principles known as Defensive Driving.
What is Defensive Driving?
Defensive driving is a set of driving techniques that keep you safe. The main principles behind defensive driving are:
- If anything can go wrong on the road, it will eventually go wrong.
- Other road users will make mistakes and their mistakes are out of our control. We can only control how to react to these mistakes and ensure that we don’t make these mistakes ourselves.
How do you practice defensive driving?
To practice defensive driving, we need to change our approach to driving. Usually, we use a reactive approach to driving, such as braking or steering, when another vehicle or pedestrian encroaches our lane.
Defensive driving suggests a proactive approach: Always remain alert to everything around you and plan for the worst possible outcomes. For example, instead of reacting to a pedestrian jumping in front of your vehicle, try to foresee scenarios where something like this can happen and plan for the scenario.
Steps to take before the drive
The proactive approach can be undertaken even before we get into the vehicle. Here is how:
Preparedness to drive
Perhaps the most important part of driving is to stay alert and focused. However, to stay alert a driver must be prepared to drive. Alert drivers also exhibit lesser reaction times than distracted or tired drivers. Do not go on a drive if you are feeling sleepy, tired, have some physical ailment, or are distracted.
Preparedness to drive also means that you should leave earlier than planned. Drivers tend to take more risks if they are running late. And more risks lead to more crashes.
Check the weather, road, and traffic conditions
Weather plays an important and underrated role in driving. Driving in heavy rain or dense fog is highly risky and should be put off as much as possible. If you still decide to travel, be extra alert as weather changes can be unpredictable. Especially in winter. In addition to the weather, the road and traffic conditions also affect the way you drive in India. You never know which road may be closed off for repairs. Google Maps usually provides reliable information on traffic and road conditions.
Make sure your vehicle is ready
In my crash investigation experience, I have come across several crashes that were caused simply due to poor vehicle maintenance. Most of these crashes are easily preventable through routine maintenance checks. Before starting your drive, run the following checks:
- Check your tyres! Poor tyre maintenance is perhaps the most prominent cause of crashes due to vehicle failures. The two important things you need to check when it comes to tyres are tyre pressure and tread depth. Having an adequate tread depth is essential if you are driving on a wet road as it prevents aquaplaning. A simple tyre pressure and tread guage can be a lifesaver! You can also check for wheel alignment if you feel that the vehicle is pulling to one side.
- Make sure your brakes are working properly without any loss of pressure. Top up the brake fluid if required and check the calipers. If your vehicle has ABS, check for the ABS warning light on the dashboard.
- Top-up all fluids such as transmission, wipers, steering, etc. Also, check the engine oil dip-stick. You do not want any of these important systems to fail when you drive.
- Visibility is an important aspect of driving safely. You need to see what is around you and at the same time, other drivers should be able to see your vehicle. Check and confirm that your headlights, indicators, fog lamps, mirrors, taillights, and reflectors are working properly.
- Seatbelts are perhaps the most important safety feature in your car, but they are often ignored in checks. Always make sure that your belts are working smoothly. Also, please do not put the rear seat belts and buckles under the seat.
In addition to running maintenance checks, there are also some road safety essentials that you shoulder consider before every drive.
Once you have checked the weather, the route, your vehicle, and are mentally prepared, you are ready to drive!
Steps to take when driving
Defensive Driving contains a lot of principles. Based on my experience of studying Indian crashes, I have listed down the most important principles that you need to know:
Stay alert at all times and assume that other drivers will make mistakes
As I mentioned earlier, staying alert and attentive is perhaps the most important part of driving. Unfortunately, it is also the hardest part. Driving on Indian roads is highly unpredictable. You need to be aware of your surroundings. This keeps you alert to predict and react to any situation. If you are not alert, you will have no control over what happens when things go wrong. To stay alert, try to get rid of all distractions such as using a mobile phone, accessing the car’s controls, looking around outside the road, eating/drinking, etc. Assume that all other vehicles are trying to hit you.
Control your speed
Overspeeding is said to be the number one cause of crashes. But, “Overspeeding” does not just mean going at breakneck speeds. A vehicle is said to be overspeeding when its speed makes it impossible to stop the vehicle safely.
You are overspeeding even if you are driving at 40 kmph through an intersection or a busy street. This is because intersections and busy streets are high conflicts zone. You will not have sufficient time or distance to stop the vehicle in time when required. The same applies to turning or negotiating a curve. I have investigated far too many crashes where the vehicle left the road or rolled over only because the driver did not slow down the vehicle while turning.
Follow the three-second rule
It is a globally accepted rule that “If you collide with the vehicle in front of you, it is almost always your fault“. It is expected that the driver of the following vehicle is always attentive to the vehicle in front. Preventing a crash can be impossible if you are following a vehicle closely from behind.
The “three-second rule” is taught in many countries to prevent rear-end crashes. The three-second rule states that while following another vehicle you should maintain such a gap that once the vehicle in front crosses a roadside object, such as a tree, it should take you at least three seconds to pass the same tree. The whole purpose of this rule is to give you enough time to stop if the vehicle in front stops suddenly.
The three-second rule applies mainly to highway scenarios under good weather conditions. If there is rain or fog you should travel even further behind. For bumper-to-bumper traffic conditions, always keep the speed low.
Be visible to other road users
Defensive driving assumes that all other drivers will get distracted. In such a scenario, it becomes your duty to make the other drivers attentive to your actions. You can do this by signaling every time you are changing lanes, taking a turn, overtaking, or backing up. In addition, headlights should not only be used only at night, but also at dawn or dusk. Only use low beams and fog lamps in rain or foggy conditions.
Ensure that the reflectors at the back or side of your vehicle are working correctly. Two-wheelers and bicycles should have additional reflectors at the sides to improve visibility.
Be aware of your Blind Spots
Blind spots are those areas around the vehicle that are not directly seen by the driver. In most vehicles, the blind spot is the area covered by the A, B, C pillars and to the rear. Use the rearview mirrors on both sides and the center to prevent blind spots. You can also consider a reverse parking sensor or camera to eliminate blind spots behind the vehicle.
On Indian roads, we also have blind spots caused due to road design failures or improper parking. You might have noticed vehicles parked or objects placed at the edge of intersections that prevent you from vehicles coming from the right or left. Such blind spots are one of the biggest causes of crashes due to road design and you should be alert to them.
Other common issues with blind spots are pedestrians or other vehicles that suddenly jump in your path from behind a wall, car, board, etc. As we cannot control the other road users or road design, it is always better to be cautious of such scenarios. Always slow down your vehicle at intersections or at all those locations where you expect a lot of pedestrian behavior.
Do not take unnecessary risks
Driving can be an enjoyable experience. But, you should not make it adventurous through risky behavior such as changing lanes frequently, overtaking in small areas, taking sharp turns, etc. Unnecessary risks also include driving at a high speed in rainy or foggy weather.
What to do if you are still involved in a crash?
Your odds of being in a crash drop considerably if you follow the principles of defensive driving. But, in some situations, it may be impossible to get out of a crash. What can you do in such scenarios?
As we saw earlier, defensive driving encourages us to be proactive thinkers. This means that defensive driving also prepares you for getting out of a crash with minimal injuries. The best way to reduce crash injuries is by using passive safety systems such as a seat belt, helmets, protective gear, or child car seats.
Being a “Defensive” driver does not make you a “Weak” driver
Many people who hear the word “Defensive” immediately link it to being weak. Indian drivers believe we always have the Right of Way and will try to get ahead of others. In such traffic behavior, any person taking risks may be considered a pushover. But, there is a saying in the western world that “The cemetery is full of people who had the Right of Way”. Do not join them.
A defensive driver knows that allowing others to pass does not make you weak. It keeps you safe. Rahul Dravid was perhaps the most defensive batsman in the history of the sport. But, nobody will ever consider him to be a “weak” batsman. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
The main purpose of driving is to reach your destination safely. Not quickly or before others. Defensive driving is the best way of being safe on the roads.
If you agree with the concept of defensive driving and feel that every driver in India must know about this concept, please share this article with everyone you know. Spreading awareness is the best way we can individually participate in making our roads safer.
Last Updated on November 9, 2022 by RSG