Road safety continues to be a big concern in India and carmakers participate in the discussion too
As a country with one of the world’s highest fatality rates from road accidents, road safety awareness is a regular topic on the public agenda for the government and carmakers alike. Just last week, from 4 February to 10 February 2019, a road safety week was organised by the Indian Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Hyundai also ran a campaign called ‘Safe Move’ alongside this to promote road safety with the media campaign #BeTheBetterGuy.
As part of their road safety week campaign, Hyundai focussed on the following key aspects:
1. Don’t over speed: It’s no surprise that people are expected to adhere to speed limits and be careful not to overspeed. It is also important to remember that speed limits are there for the average driving skill level and the ability of mass-market cars to handle speed and brake in time.
2. Adherence to traffic rules: If everyone on the road followed traffic rules as they’re expected to, the number of road incidents would drop. It might be slower than what some are used to but it would be safer. Adhering to basics such as not jumping a red light, lane driving, not going the wrong way on a road etc. can also make a big difference.
3. Stay off your phone while driving: Many cars with infotainment systems now support smartphone integration for voice control, telephony, audio and navigation. However, these tend to be higher-priced variants or people simply don’t use the hands-free functionalities. As a result, you’ll see a lot of people driving while on a call or even worse, texting, which can easily lead to an incident.
4. Strap yourself in: Wear seatbelts. If you’re driving or in the front passenger seats then it is an absolute necessity. It is also advised for rear passengers to be strapped in too. Wearing your seatbelt doesn’t prevent an incident but it protects you and reduces risk of serious injury in the case of an accident.
5. Don’t drink and drive: If you’re going to drink, do not drive. If you’re going to drive, do not drink. The importance of having your wits about you while behind the wheel cannot be implied enough and consumption of alcoholic beverages hinders that.
6. Don’t drive without a license: It is a legal requirement to have a driving license to be driving on public roads and that would be proof that a person is qualified and of legal age (18 years and above). Underage driving is also another major concern when it comes to observing road safety, which would also imply that the driver does not possess a license.
7. Share the road: Motor vehicles are not the only users of the road and drivers need to remember to share it with pedestrians too. At busy crossings, in congested areas and the like, drivers need to be careful and mindful of the pedestrians as well to avoid incidents.
Apart from the media campaign for road safety, Hyundai also offered a free safety check up of their vehicles at various service outlets across India. The carmaker also conducted awareness activities in residential areas and schools.
Source: cardekho.com