The latest cars that you see today on roads around the world are much more advanced than they were even 10 years ago. This is even more evident from a safety point of view. For a long time, the seatbelt was the only safety system that was available in cars and other vehicles. Then came the airbags (called the Supplemental Restraint System as it complements the seatbelts – airbags do not work if the driver or passenger is not wearing the seatbelt) and ABS (Anti-lock Brakes).
But today, if you go to a car showroom or look at a car brochure, you will be confronted with a whole host of acronyms and confusing terms from VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) to HSA (Hill Start Assist). Today’s vehicles have so many safety and driver aids that it is hard to keep a count on them. But do not expect all these technologies in every car – generally the more expensive safety tech is found only in luxury cars, but most of these eventually filter down to even the most basic of cars. Thus it is difficult to find a car without at least a driver side airbag. In fact, high-end luxury cars such as the Mercedes S-Class and the Volvo S90 have pioneered so many safety technologies that have cascaded down to low-cost cars.
These technologies have probably stopped millions of accidents, sometimes even without the driver’s knowledge. Even a simple technology such as Lane Departure Warning (LDW) can prevent an accident by warning the driver if he or she switches lanes without turning on the indicator.
The related Blind Spot Warning (BSW) systems alert drivers with an audio or visual warning if there are vehicles in adjacent lanes that the driver may not see when making a lane change. Some cars also have Driver Alert systems that can detect when a driver is drowsy and shake the steering wheel and make sounds to rouse him or her up. After all, just one second of micro-sleep can be a matter of life or death for the driver and/or another road user.
A whole of other driver aids come into play at night, from auto-dimming headlights to object/pedestrian detection even in pitch darkness. Driving at night is much more dangerous than it is in the daytime, not only because of the reduced visibility but also because drowsiness can set in. Day or night, if the worst is about to happen, many cars have technologies that try to minimise the effect of the impact, from pre-collision auto braking to fuel supply cut off.
But in the end, even the safest car on the road with every imaginable safety tech on board cannot compensate for bad and undisciplined driving. If you accelerate past a yellow light that is about to turn red and crash with a car coming in the other direction (which has the green light), it is completely your fault. No amount of safety tech can save you there.
In fact, the sheer lack of discipline (and also patience) is the prime cause of accidents in this country. If a driver stops for a pedestrian to cross and the driver behind honks, something is seriously wrong with the way we think and drive. A lot of people honk even when there is absolutely no need to do so, though private bus drivers are the leading culprits in this regard. As mentioned previously, many take a chance with the yellow light, without thinking that some drivers on the other side might also jump the gun just before the green light comes on. This is a recipe for disaster.
Driving becomes a pleasure if you are calm and composed. As the saying goes, try to keep your head while those around you lose theirs. Remember, there are no winners or losers on the road. No matter how fast you go, there will always be someone ahead of you. Road rage serves no purpose, other than sending your blood pressure to the stratosphere.
If you are involved in a non-serious accident, just get out of your car with a smile and say sorry to the other driver if you are in the wrong. If the other driver is wrong, just discuss it amicably and come to a settlement on insurance. There is absolutely no use fighting over what after all is a lump of metal. What matters is that you are alive.
As for those accidents which might send you to meet your Maker, just don’t make them happen. Speeding kills, period. If you do 80 Kmph in a 50 Kmph zone, you are inviting danger and perhaps even death itself. Always follow the car ahead at a reasonable distance so that you can apply the brakes in time. Just be on the lookout for the third brake light especially at night, when the normal brake lights might not really be visible.
Having mentioned traffic lights a few times already, I will say this again – slow down, don’t accelerate, if you see a green light (without a countdown) for quite a bit of time. By the time you get to the light, it might suddenly turn red and you will have to brake very hard. The same applies in reverse too – if the red light lingers on for quite some time, slow down – by the time you come to the lights, it will be green. Drive safely, every time.
****
Write to us
If you would like to comment on one of our articles or contribute an article of your own, reach us by email: [email protected].
If you would like to advertise on these pages, contact Advertising on 011-2429311.
