A basic guide to the Indian Traffic rule

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In the last financial year, companies have sold over 14 million bikes across the country. Because for Indian roads, two wheeler is the most convenient mode of transport. It is a popular mode of transport in India because as it’s small, sleek, and can be easily maintained by anyone and most importantly affordable by everyone. People love traveling in bikes for a road trip or nearby places on the weekend to enjoy the ride.

Traveling by bike is easy for sure, because you can tackle the traffic conveniently but because of the road conditions and heavy traffic and traffic violations, the number of accidents have increased drastically in the last few years. There are a number of factors responsible for the rise in percentage of road accidents. For example: Not wearing the helmet, over speeding, lane discipline, driving in wrong direction to avoid taking U-turn, driving with more than one pillion rider, bike stunts on main roads, not following traffic signals, etc.

For every violation of the traffic rule, you will be fined by the cops as per your offense. The following is a tabular column that lists out the current penalize amount;

It is important to know how to drive safely in a two wheeler as it is the most vulnerable vehicle prone to accidents:

• Maintain your vehicle in a good condition for longer run. Make sure that all mechanical aspects of your vehicle is in working condition as it is the number one priority. Service your bike regularly and check for braking, tire pressure, horn, clutch, head lights, tail lights, gear, tier condition, engine oil, fuel level, etc. If you are traveling on two wheeler for a long ride make sure to carry a tool kit and first aid kit with you to be on the safer side.
• Make sure to heat your engine by starting your motorcycle first thing in the morning before you start traveling. This will smoothen the drive as the engine will be in right temperature to pump the power.
• Be alert while driving on small roads, main roads and on highways, especially in rural areas. The roads will be comparatively smaller in rural areas. In these kind of areas, people will be driving from everywhere and not to forget the stray animals.
• Keep an eye on the sign boards installed on roadsides and know what that sign indicates. There are speed brakes, no free-left, one way, deviations, school area, stop signal, potholes, railway crossing, etc. These signs are necessary for riders to understand what is coming next in your way. This helps you control your speed and make the necessary decisions to avoid accidents.
• Always wear a helmet and if you are traveling with a passenger, then they should wear a helmet too. Protect your jaw by tying the strap. Buy a helmet that has a plastic case to cover your face so you can be safe from dust, wind, insects hitting your eye, etc. Remember, you are wearing helmet for your safety not to save yourself from paying fines.
• Potholes have increased because of poor maintenance from the government. During monsoon, because there is water everywhere, the potholes may not be visible. Drive carefully, look for the barricades because it means there is a pothole or work-in-progress.
• Never ride your vehicle while talking on a cell-phone. It is the most dangerous thing and you may be fined for it too. It distracts your concentration from driving.
• During monsoon, always carry a raincoat or a leather jacket, a pair of gloves, waterproof rain cover for your shoes with a good grip and a waterproof cover for your shoulder bags.
• Stick reflective bands on your helmet, both the side of the bike and at the back of your vehicle to make yourself visible for the vehicles behind you and traveling from the opposite direction. These stickers are very important if you are traveling at night.
• If your vehicle does not have mirrors on both the sides, install them immediately. It makes your driving easy.
• Follow all the traffic rules because this one is not meant to be broken. Do not take a turn immediately without turning on the indicator.
• If you wish to apply brake, judge the distance before you do so. Bikes do not come with power brake like they do in cars. If you apply sudden brake, it may not work.
• Carry all documents related to your bike like driver's license, bike insurance, etc. all the time.
• Maintaining a safe distance from other vehicles is vital. Never weave in and out of traffic and end up on the wrong lane. The left lane is dedicated to bikes and rickshaws. While overtaking a moving vehicle, keep a safe distance and alert them with an indicator before you do so.
• Never ride between two vehicles if there is small gap. That distance is to avoid collisions and maintain a safe gap.
• Stop for pedestrians and animals to cross. Be sure not to ride fast near school zones and do not overtake from the left.
• Do not ride with more than one pillion rider

Drive safely with these tips and take measures to improve the performance of the vehicle. It is important in all times to have a life insurance or a health insurance for your own safety. Insure your bike with two wheeler insurances to fore come any damages that may happen to you or the third-party. Two wheeler insurance covers third-party liability as well so if they are hurt in the mishap the insurance can take care of it.