SKILL & BEHAVIOUR
SAFE & RESPONSIBLE DRIVING BEHAVIOURS

To improve your driving and reduce chances of an accident, the following two points are advised: 1. Conduct vehicle Checks before driving. 2. Adopt safe & responsible driving behavior while driving. This will lessen the Risk of Accidents. Self driving executives and professional drivers performance can easily be ascertain on roads.

VEHICLE CHECKS

Before you are commencing to drive, first of all you have to carry exterior checks to your vehicle. Walk around and peep underneath. Check for cleanliness of complete body, glasses any dents. Number plate is clean & secured. Head lights, Indicators, wipers & stop lights are intact & clean.
Peep underneath for leakages (oils, coolant & fluid), hanging harness & animals lying. Start checking from front right tyre for cuts, abrasion, tread wear depth (measured at TWI permissible is not below 1.6 mm.) and fully tightened wheel nuts & studs. Go around check, one by one, that bonnet, doors & boot are intact. Open the luggage compartment and make sure that spare wheel, jack, wheel brace, tools, warning triangle and spares are available. Now open the door and sit on driving seat.

Interior Checks: Open glove box and check documents. Check that the First Aid Kit & the fire extinguisher are in place. Check cleanliness inside. See that all controls are free of any obstacles. Adjust seat for correct posture & comfortable room to reach controls before starting. Check and adjust rear and side view mirrors for maximum view. Adjust & test seat belt and fastening. Once comfortable, start checking foot controls: ABC (Accelerator, Brake & Clutch) for working smoothly & for free play. Check hand controls (Steering, gears & hand brake) for their working & free play. Switch ON ignition & check working of all HL beam, indicators, interior, dashboard, stop, reverse, number plate & hazard lights. You may check even their reflection on other parked vehicles. See Fuel gauge to check that there is sufficient fuel for the journey. Start the engine & check that the red Indicators on dashboard for charging & oil pressure go off. Check wipers working with window washer liquid and check the horn. Now adjust Air conditioner & heater setting before moving off.
Weekly Checks Check tyre pressure

Maintain all fluids at proper levels (Engine oil, transmission, brake fluid and windshield). Under the bonnet, check battery, fan belt, leads, wire connectors, pipes, linkages, fuse box, fasteners & leakages. Keep up vehicle in good repair all times by carrying out services on due dates & mileage.Report any accident situations averted, side swipes & dents. Pay immediate attention to vehicle damage.
DRIVING
Remember always that driving is a serious affair. Cary advance route planning before commencing a journey. Do not over speed or rush to work or meetings to reach on time. Always strive to maintain a non- aggressive attitude. Do not allow job pressure to affect driving. Enjoys drive at all prevailing road environments. Do not let your personal problems distract driving. Position both hands on steering wheel not loosely grip to position like hands of a clock at time 09:15 or 08:20.

Avoid driving with one hand. Never speed while approaching a light that has been green for a while. Start slowing prior to entering an intersection. Communicate with other road users by establishing eye contact. While braking always keep your ‘Foot on Brake Eyes on Mirror.’

Drive in the lane appropriate to driving speed, maintaining a 2 - 3 seconds following distance. Whenever you make a temporary halts maintain enough distance with vehicle ahead stopping in a manner that rear tyres of vehicle ahead touching tarmac are clearly visible to you from your driving seat. Anticipates light changes & avoids need to brake hard.

Obey posted mandatory signs. Signal properly your intention at least 5 seconds prior to merging, diverging, turnings and lane changing. Also look over your shoulder in the direction you intend to move. Pull through the space when possible in parking lots. Inside parking bay scan for potential dangers like other vehicles movement notice them backup or reverse lights, brake lights, exhaust fumes etc. Always pays full attention while backing up.

HAZARD PERCEPTION SKILLS
It is very important to move eyes constantly for 360 degree awareness therefore keep looking far up the road and maintaining eye lead time of 15 – 20 seconds. At regular intervals shift your eyeballs to corner of your eyes in a 2 – 3 second cycle shift. Keep glancing into mirrors at every 6 – 10 seconds. Always strives to drive alone out of dense traffic and not to permit changes in traffic condition to affect your driving adversely. Therefore compensate early for obstacles. Look left – right – left before entering an intersection. Keep observing speed limits all times & stay calm. Maintain slower speed while in heavy traffic & keep observations near schools, offices and market, construction zones maintaining space cushions & adjusting speed as per conditions. Positions properly within the lane maintain space avoiding driving in others blind spot. Always check your own blind spots before changing lanes. Never get yourself boxed in. Be vigilant, plan ahead for escape routes all times.

You should never drive if feeling tired. You should not be eating, drinking, changing music, writing, attending calls etc. while driving. Overtake only when it is necessary and safe, then pass properly. Follow MSM (Mirror–Signal–Maneuver) procedure before moving off, merging, diverging, changing lanes, and passing. When negotiating turn, ascent, descent, curves follow principal PSL (Position–Speed–Look).
Whenever doubtful, make a habit of taking foot off the accelerator & covering the brakes pedal. Be aware of what others are doing around all times. Look out for vehicles following behind too closely (tailgaters) before slowing and stopping.

Institute of Road Safety and Fleet Management
M.R. Complex Adj. Radisson Hotel, NH-8, Rangpuri, Mahipalpur, New Delhi-110037
Office: +91-9013215762 Website: www.irsfm.com Email: secy@irsfm.com
(Registered Office: 611, Krishi, D-Block, Vikaspuri, New Delhi-110018, INDIA) Phone:+91-11-28539160
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