India is currently witnessing a marked improvement in the quality of the construction of roads. Well-laid, wide, and admirably smooth, our highways have never been better, and previous examples of single-lane highways are gradually being converted into fast-flowing, four-lane highways. While we still have considerable time ahead of us before we can drive over a top-notch highway network, there is no denying the fact that covering long distances is becoming easier by the day. A glorious case in point is the Golden Quadrilateral, which covers Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata in a seamless stretch of long, winding, pimple-free roads.

Despite all this, there are still safety hazards out there that need to be taken into account before we set off, and complying with these simple

To-Do?s would make our roads a lot less dangerous to travel on.

DOCUMENTS

Always keep your original driving licence with you, as the police have a very low tolerance threshold for not carrying it along in certain parts of the country. Carrying other documents like ID proof and a PAN card or a voter ID is also a good idea, in addition to your certificate of insurance and registration documents.

BREAK IN THE DIVIDER

Quite often, you will observe breaks in the divider that are used by tractors and trucks to cross the road. Most of these breaks are marked well in advance, especially on the newly built sections.

Keep an eye out for these and don?t take them lightly. Blitzing past the gap can sometimes prove to be a bad idea, as the people waiting to cross rarely look both ways. Keep an eye out for these gaps. Honking or even flashing your headlights will attract the attention of fellow pedestrians waiting to cross.

TRUCKS AND SLOW MOVING VEHICLES

Trucks, lorries and overloaded tractor-trailers are a big safety issue on the highway. Our advice is that you don?t try to muscle your way past them and make surprise manoeuvres, as they are not as nimble as cars, and also suffer from too many blind spots. A good idea is to honk loud and clear because some truck drivers can?t hear faint horns due to the noise in their own cabin. Don?t tailgate, and finish the overtaking manoeuvre as soon as possible.

SECTIONS UNDER CONSTRUCTION

With large sections of highway undergoing widening or construction, maintaining your concentration should be a priority. Diversions are aplenty, and it?s best if you maintain a steady speed and indicate as and when necessary. Heavy equipment, road rollers, workers, debris, construction material and dug up earth, all make under-construction segments a handful to drive on. Drive slowly and avoid overtaking in spots devoid of a divider. Driving on closed-off areas is illegal, and it may also be barricaded at the other end.

DRINKING AND DRIVING

Never drink and drive, no matter how light the drink may be. Take turns being the designated driver with your partner, or take a taxi if you?re travelling solo. Drinking and driving is not tolerated anywhere in India, and should never be practised.

COLD CLIMATES

If you?re in a part of the country that experiences a lot of snow, then you?ll need snow chains. Once you?ve bought them, practice fitting them at home?it?s easier than waiting to do it for the first time, halfway up a mountain and with numb hands. Top your car up with washer fluid and coolant that are able to tolerate lower temperatures as well.

HEADLIGHTS

Adjust your headlights so they won?t blind motorists coming the opposite way. If your car has brighter xenon lamps, then take a look in your handbook to see if you can adjust them yourself. You will have to adjust the height of your headlights if you are carrying a lot of people or extra luggage. It?s just a simple flick of the dial in most cars. Some parts of the country insist that you keep your headlights on low beam at all times.

SPEEDING

Expect on-the-spot fines for speeding. If you are driving fast, then your car may even be impounded. In general, the speed limit in towns across India is 50kph, but you will find lower speed limits in many instances. Out-of-town limits vary dramatically. So it pays dividends to check out the exact figure of the place that you are visiting, rather than pay insane amounts as challans.