It is a great pleasure to drive on the National Highways nowadays compared to the recent past. But how safe are they?

In the olden days it used to take a lot of time to cover even a small distance. But, after the laying of all the national highways with 4-lanes, i.e., two lines in one direction and two in the opposite direction, it has become easy and very convenient to drive, which saves a lot of time, fuel, wear & tear of vehicle etc. But how good are we utilizing this in terms of safety and security of life and property are concerned?

In the past there was a lot of chance for an accident to occur as the roads were narrow. But, there was not much threat to the life of the victims barring minor or major injuries as the speed of the vehicles was considerably low. But, the present situation has brought a lot of complications along with facilities. Little chance is left for any one of the victims to survive now if once an accident occurs on any highway. Thanks to the speed at which they drive. Driving at high speed not end with an accident, provided certain precautions are taken and the rules are followed and implemented strictly. What are those lapses and what are the remedies?

Drunken driving, fast driving and cell phone driving are some of the reasons for accidents. Mobile hurdles like cattle, bicycle riders and pedestrians are some of the other reasons who generally do not have road sense or are ignorant of the road rules. Three wheelers which are known as auto-rikshaws are also one of the reasons, the drivers of which, in a bid to save a little distance follow the wrong-rout method and these autos carry as many as 15 passengers or school children at a time. An accident to such a vehicle causes no less damage.

Drivers hurrying to reach the destination as early as possible, drive hours together restlessly and sleeplessly, too cause accidents. This sort of accidents occur generally, in the wee hours of the day. Even those who take care to sleep and take rest, do not take enough care to park their vehicle properly and park the vehicle on the road, which generally due to darkness does not attract the attention of the vehicles coming from behind and causes the accident. These parked vehicles, in most of the cases, do not have proper indication parking i.e., blinking lights or reflectors. Transport buses too instead of stopping in the places alloted where the passengers board the bus, often stop in the middle of the road and the vehicles following do not have a clue and cause accident.

Lack of deviders or thin ribbon like deviders or wide deviders without proper plantation are another reason for accidents. No doubt deviders save 90% of the accidents, but proper deviders certainly save much more percentage of accidents. Speed-breakers, instead of saving accidents are causing accidents. The reason for this is that these speed-breakers do not have white stripes on them so that can be identified from a long distance. Due to this, the driver of the vehicle could recognize the speed-breaker only after he comes very close to it and applies brake which causes damage to the vehicle and also to the vehicle following it.

The most common but accident prone mistake done by many truck or bus drivers is not driving in the proper or stipulated lane. Most of these drivers follow the right side truck/lane forcing the faster vehicles to over take from the left side instead of right side. Some of the slow moving vehicles follow the left lane while the others follow the right lane. This puts the fast moving vehicles to over take these vehicles from right and left respectively which is a zig-zag method and the over taker often becomes the victim of a fatal accident.

To prevent the accidents, necessary precautions must be taken. Speed restrictions must be implemented depending on nature of the vehicle. Drunken driving and usage of cellular phones while driving must be prohibited. Necessary steps must be taken to prevent the cattle, pedestrians and bicycle riders obstructing the vehicles. Autoes must be instructed to carry limited people only as per rule and any excess number of passengers found, then the driver must be penalized. They must be instucted not drive on the wrong side at any circumstances. Parked vehicles must have parking indicators or atleast reflectors or light so that the vehicles following come to know that some vehicle is parked. Rest places must be provided at places with frequent intervals for the High-Way drivers to take rest when ever they feel sleepy or want to take rest. Dhabas on high ways too must provide sufficient room not only for the vehicles but also to the drivers to take rest. Bus drivers must instructed to stop the vehicles only at the bus stops and that too at the extreme side of the road so that they do not disturb the other vehicles. Proper and wide enough road-deviders must be made with sufficient plantation so that the light from the head-lights of the vehicles coming in the opposite direction does not disturb the drivers. Proper speed-breakers must be laid in such a way that they could be identified from a long distance and proper care must be taken that the height of these does not cause any damage to the small vehicles.

On the high ways where there is a two lane system for the vehicles going in the same direction, slow moving vehicles must be instructed to follow the left lane only, so that the fast moving vehicles can follow the right lane, with out disturbing each other or where there won't be any necessity for the zig-zag driving.

The high-way patrolling police as well as the National High-Way Authorities must take enough care and try to implement these road rules strictly and penalize those who trespass these rules.

Then only the high ways which are known as travellers' hell, would certainly become " THE PARADISE OF DRIVERS AND TRAVELLERS". ........................