Different Traffic Signs and Rules in India you Should Know
As we grow up, we have to go outside. Be it a car or bike or walk, everyone has to step outside in any way. So, the question comes about your safety on the road. How are you crossing the road, what are the signals we should follow? According to the road safety law, there are many signs and rules, though it’s hard to remember everyone. The most necessary and common signs are remembered by us. As a responsible person, one needs to follow the traffic signs and rules in India.
Acquiring a driving licence is necessary when you are driving on the road. Whenever you appear for the test, you need to pass it by going through some requirements including traffic signs as well. It’s a practice for a driver to be informed of the rules. By knowing these, one can smoothly cross the road, park a vehicle or avoid road accidents. Keeping updated yourself with the new rules is a wise choice. Let’s dig deep into details.
Importance of traffic signs
Traffic signs are of greater importance in our day-to-day lives. Ignoring this deals with a big amount of cost to one. It is mandatory by the government to follow these rules. These are the main important one should know.
- According to the data provided by the government, daily over 400 accidents are happening every day.
- According to WHO, 3% of the GDP fall of the country becomes affected.
- If one is aware of the traffic signs, there is relatively less risk on the road.
- Traffic signs help the road to stay organised so that accidents can be reduced.
How traffic signs can help
Traffic signs serve many purposes.
- When you are lost in a place, you need signs to find alternative routes.
- It helps when someone is trying to gauge the distance left to reach a particular destination.
- Traffic signs help one to find hospitals, colleges, public toilets, clubs, and restaurants.
Types of traffic signs
How would anyone know which denotes what? This is why we have curated this article to provide you with knowledgeable information so that it helps you further in your day-to-day life also. There are innumerable traffic signs which denote its purpose. Every sign has its own meaning.
Mandatory traffic signs
One is obligated to follow the mandatory traffic signs. It keeps the road smooth. If one violates the rules, it’s a punishable act by the law. Let’s see by the images below. Every image shows a different purpose.
Mandatory Signs give orders and are represented by red circles.
Cautionary traffic signs
There is a total of 40 cautionary traffic signs prescribed by the RTO. As the name suggests, it means one should be cautious when seeing the signs. The cautionary signs warn the driver to be cautious about the danger ahead and force to take necessary action against it. The below images show the cautionary signs.
Cautionary Signs are represented by red triangles.
Informative traffic signs
Informative traffic signs make the driver understand how long the trip is, where the public place or club is situated? It gives you information about the specific place. The below images denote the meaning of every sign.
Informative Signs are represented by blue rectangles.
Traffic rules in India
According to 1989’s “Rules of Road Regulations”, traffic rules are as follows.
- If it’s a two-way road, a driver must drive through the left side so that another driver can pass through the right side. It maintains smoothness on the road.
- If it’s a one-way road, a driver should allow another driver behind to overtake from the right side.
- The helmet is always a must when you are riding and of course, for the backseat person also.
- Vehicle Registration Number (VRN) must be displayed on both sides of your vehicle.
- A driver must stop or slow down at the road intersections or junctions or pedestrian crossing.
- A driver has to give a cyclist or a pedestrian much way to cross.
- Only one pillion rider for the two-wheeler is allowed but no more than that.
- When seeing the STOP sign, one must stop, it shouldn’t be crossed.
- Overtaking should be done through the right side.
- Driving on a mountain or hill must be on the right side.
- Sudden breaking is not necessary unless there is an emergency.
- Unnecessary honking is not allowed everywhere.
- A driver shouldn’t overload the vehicle with anything more than its capacity.
- One mustn’t speed up the vehicle and run after overtaking just because the person has been overtaken.
- Before a U-turn, a driver always checks the other vehicles through the mirror.
- The indicator has a significant importance when the driver switching lanes.
- Reverse driving on a one-way roads shouldn’t be done.
- Hand signals can be used sometimes to maintain the rhythm of the road.
Some of the updated traffic rules
The government is dedicated to updating the rules and regulations on the road. So, a responsible citizen should be updated about it. To keep the discipline on the road, updating rules can be of greater importance. Some of the new rules are –
- In Uttarakhand, if a driver talks to someone over the home while driving, a fine has to be made by the traffic police.
- The new law explains that watching a video while driving is a punishable offense.
- Once a driver has been fine cannot be fined for the same offense except over speeding or losing the receipt.
- Loud silencers are banned in some places like Bengaluru or Pune.
- Parking in front ambulance, fire truck, or police vehicle is an offensive crime.
Where accidents are happening every day just because of the traffic signs, it will be a good step for everyone to accustom to the traffic signs and rules in India. This article could be a handbook for any driver driving on the road. Saving a valuable life when one is on the road can be done by being informative about the traffic signs and rules.
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