Safety Begins with me/ US

Do we know there is a national road safety week that is celebrated every year?

Yes, it is from 4th to 10th of March every year which is considered to be National road safety week .

But why do we celebrate a week dedicated for national road safety? Why do we need an awareness campaign for something that has to come to us from within? SAFETY, isn't it the very first thing that we do generally? But do we take care of the safety of the other person who walks on the road?

India owns the world record for the number of deaths involved in road accidents.

Is it really tough to control such road accidents in India?

 Yes it is as most motorists do not obey the traffic rules.

Well we need to teach the motorists what red, green and amber stands for again. They are not just beautiful colors that are on display on the roads. And if it is a digital signal people wait for 50 seconds but cant wait for the next 10 seconds, they tend to realize the importance of time only in the signal.

It is not the place to know the importance of time. It is a place to follow the rules.

Do we know there is something called a zebra crossing? 

Well it is not a place where zebras cross, It is the place where pedestrians are supposed to cross the road when the signal is meant for people to cross. But who cares? We just need to reach the other side as quickly as possible. And we become traffic police for a second, where we just ask the speeding car and lorry to stop, so that we can cross or even worse, we just run, jump , dive, to reach the other side.!

Why take risk on the main road? Lets try to find the pedestrian crossing and cross the road.

We share the roads not only with cars, buses and mopeds but also with dogs and cows.

Well main roads are not the place where the cows can be let to graze! this is one of the most important reason for an accident to occur. We try to save the animals life by putting ours in danger!

Lets not let out the cows on the main road for grazing!

Do we know we follow the drive left rule?

I have seen most cars /bicycle/mopeds  just drive in any direction they want ,leading to a total confusion on the road. We always drive to the left. Not as we wish or in the middle of teh road.

So always drive left.

Lets not Start honking as soon as the signal turns red. Honking is not going to bring the green signal soon. If its a 60 sec signal, Lets wait for full 60 seconds, and try to follow the honking standards.

Lets try to know few of the traffic and road signs before we start driving. We are supposed to give a test regarding the road safety and rules before we get our driving licence, but no one cares about this as the test is not taken seriously . Lets make it a point to know the rules and symbols.

Small changes that we do in following rules brings in a drastic difference overall.!!

 In the company that I work for we were asked to take a Safety pledge and here I am sharing the pledge with everyone here so that we do something on our part to prevent the Road accidents. 

“On this day I solemnly affirm that

I will dedicate myself to the cause of safety,

Health and protection of environment and will do

My best to observe rules, regulations, guidelines

                                           And habits conducive for achieving these objectives 

I shall not drink and drive,

will wear the seat belt and follow the signal

will abide by the speed limit,and never text and drive

and do regular emission check ups!

I fully realize that accidents and diseases are a drain

On the national economy and may lead to

Disablement deaths, harm to health and damage

To property, social suffering and general

Degradation of environment.

I will do everything possible for the prevention of

Accidents and occupational diseases and

Protection of environment in the interest of self,

Family, community, organization and the nation at large".

This blog pot is written as a part of The Nissan Safety Driving Forum.

Image source: Google.