The importance of seat belts and child seats

By T.K. Malhotra

NEW DELHI: The AAUI President has an important message to keep your children safe in the event of a crash.

It goes without saying that we'd all like our children to survive a crash. However, you're not really giving them a fighting chance if you choose to hold them in your arms when travelling in a car.

In India, we motorists lack the concept and discipline of securing our children in car seats. Infants and children have a relatively fragile skull and heavy head. As a result, they're likely to suffer serious head ....

injuries even in low speed crashes. Regardless of their weight, children below four years of age must be secured in a child safety seat before riding in a vehicle. This safety precaution should be exercised to match the high-tech cars now on our roads, which have far greater acceleration power than ever before.

Sleep-deprived driving has reached alarming levels

By T.K. Malhotra

The AAUI President cautions you on the (very real) hazards of driving drowsy. Only recently, our very own Jared Solomon wound up in a lake, because his driver fell asleep at the wheel.

Feeling sleepy behind the wheel? If, yes, the best thing to do is pull over someplace safe, and take a nap. Driver fatigue or drowsiness dulls your mind, slows reaction time, reduces alertness and concentration, impairs judgment and increases your risk of crashing.

Physical, mental and emotional fitness to drive outweighs many other hazards that we may face on the road. Even a simple headache or cold affects our ability to drive safely. We must, therefore, be as objective as possible about our physical fitness to drive at any time. If necessary, we should postpone our journey or have someone else drive.

Many road crashes occur due to drivers dozing off behind the wheel. Ask yourself an honest question – how many times have you fallen asleep, even if only momentarily, while driving?

Statistics reveal women are better drivers

By T.K. Malhotra

Feminists rejoice, the AAUI President agrees that women are better drivers.

"Lady driver," men in their cars utter, under their breath, on narrowly avoiding a collision with the fairer sex. But, while most men may not wish to admit it, studies reveal that women drivers are more careful on the road than men. Male drivers tend to take more risks while manoeuvring their cars. In a survey done for Insurer Met Life, 51% of the men said that their gender drives more safely. But men are three-to-four times more likely than women to get a ticket for reckless driving, and three-to-one times as likely to be sited for drunk driving, according to a study done by Quality Planning Research that works for insurance claim companies. "Women are, on average, less aggressive, and more law-abiding drivers." These are attributes that lead to fewer accidents, the study says.

There may, however, be some situations where women are found to be more hesitant – and therefore less safe – than men, such as when she has the right of way or while taking a turn at a crossroads for instance. And, if it's any consolation to male...

An analysis for different driving styles

By T.K. Malhotra

The AAUI President says that your attitude makes a big difference when you're behind the wheel. So you may need to look inward, as well as outward, when in the driver's seat.

Does getting behind the wheel sometimes bring out the worst in you? If yes, then remember that the most important thing about you as a driver is your attitude. Being edgy, impatient, rude or reckless could put you and other road users at risk. A safe driving attitude and behaviour is important on the road because you'll make many decisions as you drive – and your decisions have consequences. Attitudinal shifts are critical to reduce vehicle incidents. Driving is a complex task consisting of a variety of skills and a vast knowledge of road and traffic rules. Competent drivers always try to keep a positive attitude.

Also, it helps a driver to periodically self-assess his or her mental attitude and outlook when behind the wheel. Here are some typical driver-types for you to identify with and think about :

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CARS & SAFE DRIVING

In today's fast paced world, virtually everyone seems to be in a great rush, especially urban motorists whose motto seems to be: DRIVE PEOPLE CRAZY. In such an 'insane' situation, here's one book which seeks to restore sanity, safety and sensibility.

The author attempts to guide the reader through the (figurative) maze of traffic jams and other hazards by outlining a series of practical, systematic and easy-to-follow maneuvers. The contents cover a wide spectrum of subjects such as buying a suitable car, parts of a car...

choosing the right driving school, procedures for obtaining driving license, registration and insurance formalities, safety devices, accident situations, compensation for accident victims and the menace of pollution.