[inner_roadster]

Driving comes with social responsibility because it involves operating a vehicle in a shared environment where the actions of a driver can directly affect the safety and well-being of others. A responsible driving includes driving safely, adhering to the traffic rules and regulations and understanding how to drive appropriately to avoid accidents. In most circumstances, a human aspect plays a larger role in a road accident than a technical failure of the vehicle. The most common reason for such road accident are drunken driving, over speeding, violating the traffic rules and reckless driving.

So driving being a social responsibility, we need work on some of the most fundamental aspects to improve our driving style. I am sharing with you some common aspects of driving skill that we all know but sometimes overlook because of our casual approach.

1. We need to put safety first. I think this should be the main responsibility of every driver. We need to ensure the safety of not only everyone in the vehicle but also others around the vehicle, including other drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.

2. Safe driving is not only my responsibility but also figuring out the behaviors of the other drivers on the road. Acquiring this skill is time-consuming and I believe its comes with experience and patience.

3. Never drink and drive because alcohol impairs brain capabilities and reduces thinking and reasoning abilities, both of which are necessary for safe driving.

4. Driver exhaustion and tiredness play a role in accidents. Therefore, I never go overdrive beyond 500-600 KM on a day and make sure to take breaks at regular intervals while driving long distances.

5. We must avoid distractions when driving. The most common distractions while driving are using a cell phone to make calls, navigate maps while driving, text messages, or browse social media and music apps. The ideal practice is to first park the car in a safe place and configure and complete all the settings of these commonly utilized apps so that there is no distraction while driving.

6. We must be courteous on the road because it costs nothing, even if we are in a rush. We need to give cyclists and pedestrians ample of time to cross the road. We must ensure that we do not block the crossing and turning junctions in traffic signals, which may disrupt traffic flow.

7. Parking the car in the appropriate location is also an important component of being a responsible driver. We must ensure that parking our cars does not obstruct the entry or movement of other pedestrians, cyclists, or bikers. We need to park properly in order to end our journey well.

8. Unnecessary Honking- We must avoid unnecessary honking of horns on the road. This is a widespread problem that causes frustration and pain for those on the road and in neighboring areas. Honking should not be used to convey our annoyance with someone's behavior, greet someone we know, scare animals, or hurry up other road users. I believe that superfluous honking should be prohibited by enforcing stronger regulations and penalties.

9. Avoid use of use of high beams of headlight when not needed. High beams are intended to improve visibility in low-light settings; however, misuse of them can make other drivers uncomfortable and increase the risk of accidents. We should use high beam only when traveling in rural areas where there is little to no traffic.

10. Getting to know your car right - A good driver should be familiar with all of the car's equipment and functions, as well as how to operate them. He should know how and when to utilize the hazard and fog lights correctly. Good driving involves being aware of when to switch on your headlights and how to use the main beam safely, as well as how to change gears and control your steering. How to react with the steering wheel in an emergency.

These are some of the most crucial aspects that I believe come with having a social obligation while sitting in the driver's seat of a car. To make this post more relevant and helpful, I would request the other members of our forum to add a few more pertinent points.

[AJ56]

Good effort but quite an incomplete list, in addition to the above, a good driver must have the following skills-

11) 3 second rule/minimum following distance, add in lateral minimum safe distance as well when passing.

12) Lane discipline, changing lanes safely and correctly, merging efficiently without slowing traffic already on the highway, never hog the overtaking lane.

13) Blind spots, being aware of them and adjusting ORVM’s to eliminate potential blind spots, doing a shoulder check when merging.

14) Understanding how inclement weather and water affect vehicle dynamics and increase following distance appropriately. Understanding how braking distances increase with lower grip levels.

15) Basics of cornering at higher speeds (throttle liftoff, no hard braking during cornering, etc.)

16) Understanding car handling at higher speeds, identifying and correcting upset situations like sudden swerves, fishtailing, etc.

17) Braking, even though every car has ABS, a good driver must know their cars brake lock up point and be able to brake upto the limit, never going over. This avoids unnecessary ABS activation during harder braking.

Being familiar with ABS activation during panic braking, steering effectively while braking hard (if required).

18) Importance of having the correct speeds for each road condition, being too fast or too slow are both dangerous and can lead to a crash.

19) Understanding right of way, specially at uncontrolled intersections and roundabouts.

20) Have emotional maturity, avoid getting caught up in road rage and unnecessary violence.

21) Occupant safety, ensuring other passengers don’t distract the driver, belt up (all seats) and ensuring all loose objects in the cabin are secured before starting the drive.

22) Vehicle health, being able to identify any issues with a car before they develop into major problems, checking fluids correctly, tyre pressures and tread depth, warning lights on dash and what they mean, etc.

23) Driving on hills, specially downhill driving and understanding your transmission, slowing down correctly without overheating brakes on downward gradients.

24) Solid reflexes, a good driver must have top tier reflexes in order to implement the above quickly and effectively.

25) Being able to drive through light to moderate water logging without flooding their engine, knowing how much water their car can safely cross and when to turn around.

[MyLife_MyCar]

26. Knowing how to perform an overtake correctly on city roads, straight highways and hilly/curvy roads.

27. Checking the ORVMs and IRVM frequently so that you’re aware of your surroundings (not the blind spots, but the spots that you can already see) and keep alertness level high.

28. Keeping your passengers comfortable throughout the journey such as avoiding sudden acceleration/braking, driving at a speed that they are comfortable with, carefully navigating over bad roads/potholes/speed-breakers, etc.

[rGT]

Point number 9 is a major irritant, especially in city traffic. Heck, people often drive using high beam within our housing society, where there's a speed limit of 20kmph (it's an army welfare housing organisation), accompanied by adequate lighting on the streets.
Alas, most of the readers on this forum would be acquainted with most of these rules, and those who should/must be educated about them, perhaps don't even know that Team-BHP exists.