Road safety - class-IX

In 1895 John Henry Knight was convicted and fined for using a motor-tricycle on the highway. He was probably the first motorist to appear in court.

The world's first car was invented in 1769 by Nicholas Joseph Cugnot.

The Worlds first traffic lights were installed in Detroit, USA in 1919. The first traffic lights in Britain were installed in Wolverhampton during 1928. However, they did not come to London till 1932.

The first motor-car accident in Britain resulting in the death of the driver occurred in Grive Hill, Harrow-on-the Hill, London on 25th February 1899. 

In the sixteenth century invention of automatic mechanized vehicles helped people travel from one place to another faster. The worlds first car was invented in 1769.

In 1771 the first accident involving a motor vehicle took place in Paris when Cugnot's steam tractor hit a low wall in the grounds of  the Paris arsenal. 

Locations of road signs-
I) Left side of the road
II) On multilane road repeated on the other side of the road
III) On wide carriageway overhead signs are also used
IV) On hilly roads signs are installed on valley side
V) Warning signs in urban areas are located 50m in advance

Every year, prominent metro cities of India celebrate the road safety week to promote road safety measures. During the entire week, the transport departments of various states create awareness through community building process in schools, colleges, offices and on roads. They also sensitise people about the outcome of   -drunkendriving, high-speed driving, importance of wearing helmet for bikers and seat belts for four-wheeler drivers. At times, they choose themes to communicate to the masses. Road Safety Week 2015 was celebrated in India from 11-17 January.

The Zebra crossing with black and white stripes was developed after the Second World War.

Box junctions, marked with yellow cross-hatching, were introduced in London during 1964. The aim was to prevent traffic blocking junctions when it could not proceed and this was successful. 

Road safety signs are primarily of three types-
1- Mandatory Sign
2- Cautionary Sign
3- Informatory Sign

Police woman were used for traffic control duties for the first time in Paris, in 1964.

In India the first women traffic police was introduced in 1989. Delhi was the first city in India where the women traffic police were introduced.

Traffic lights are very necessary at roads. It helps in following-
I) To reduce delays at junctions
II) To reduce vehicular conflicts
III) To reduce accidents
IV) To save police's time and strength 

The pedestrian crossing was instituted in Britain in 1934. The roads were marked by dotted lines. On the pavement there were striped Belisha beacon light poles named after BritainsMinister oftransport L. Hore-Belisha.

Specific colours are used for road markings-
I) White for all carriageway makings except for parking restrictions.
II) Yellow for parking restrictions and continuous centre or barrier line.
III) Alternate Black & White for kerb and object makings.

Road regulations were brought into effect in India from July 1^st 1989. These are the guidelines for Indian drivers to follow safety. These rules deal with basic facts such as overtaking, traffic signals, towing, speed limits, the necessary documents to be carried while driving etc.

Road safety week is celebrated in the first week of December. This event is organised to make people aware of traffic rules. This is an attempt to reduce road accidents and save the lives of the people by raising awareness 

Road safety is the measures one should bear in mind while on road travelling to prevent an accident or any mishappening. Foremost of them come traffic rules which everyone should follow in order to ride safely and let others drive safe too. Signals must be given by the driver when he/she is slowing down or turning right or left or when stopping. It will allow others to get the indication and avoiding the accident.

The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which contains the rules of road regulation, came into effect on July 1, 1989. This is a standard fact regarding Indian traffic legislation.

A person driving a vehicle shall always carry the documents pertaining to vehicle registration, insurance, taxation etc. driver should also carry driving license with him. Apart from these, document showing that the vehicle has undergone pollution control check has to be carried.

In countries like India, the United Kingdom, and many others, traffic is required to move on the left side of the road to ensure safety and order.

Ministry of Surface Transport set up the Road Safety Cell in 1986. The Ministry of Surface Transport was a branch of the Government of India and was the apex body for the formulation and administration of the rules, regulations and laws relating to surface transport in India.

All the given options are to be followed while driving. They include: Horn should not be used more needlessly, as it cause irritation and sound pollution. It should not be used in silent zones like near hospitals and schools as it may cause disturbance and recklessness. Vehicles with mechanical defects should not be used at all.

According to rules of the road regulations, 1989, a driver of motor vehicle in ‘One Way ‘cannot drive his vehicle in any direction he wants. He has to drive only in the direction prescribed on sign board.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is an autonomous body of the Indian Government which is responsible for management and maintenance of a network of National Highways. It works under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

Droughts, floods, and landslides are generally classified as natural disasters, although human activity can exacerbate them. A road accident is a direct result of human error or mechanical failure, making it a man-made disaster.

Bus rapid transit (BRT), also called a busway or transitway, is a bus-based public transport system designed to improve capacity and reliability relative to a conventional bus system.

The road system of india is second largest in the world after United states of America. India has the one of largest road network across the world, spanning over a total of 5.5 million km. This road network transports 64.5 per cent of all goods in the country and 90 per cent of India’s total passenger traffic uses road network to commute. Road transportation has gradually increased over the years with the improvement in connectivity between cities, towns and villages in the country.

Road Accidents in India are continuously increasing. To make people aware of traffic rules and their importance Road Safety Week is Celebrated every Year in January in India. People are encouraged about how to drive on road by organizing a variety of programmes related to Road Safety.

National Highway 47A, which starts from Kundannoor to Willingdon land in Kochi, Kerala, is the shortest highway in India.It has a length of 6
Kilometers in total. 

Red, Green, Yellow color combinations are used as signal lights. Red as the color for stop, it is thought, because red has for centuries
been used to indicate danger. For the other colors, they chose green as
the color for go and yellow as the color for caution.

• Helps foster a sense of community. For example, people travelling together are more likely to feel a community connection than those travelling in cars in isolation.
• Reduces the need for building vast car parks on valuable land that could have otherwise been used as highly prized office or retail space.
• Reduces pollution and road congestion - the more people who travel by train, tram or bus, the fewer cars on the road.

Bus Rapid Transit System.
BRTS is bus based public transport. It is like
"Metro service running on roads". Prioritize public transport users
with advanced features like easy & step-less boarding system, smart
ticketing system, allocating dedicated space for buses on the roads.

Following is/are the preventive measures for road accidents:-

• Helmets for two-wheeler riders
• Sitting and enforcing speed limit
• Sitting and enforcing alcohol limit

Following are the causes of road accident:-

• Distracted Driving-Distracted drivers are the top cause of
  car accidents. A distracted driver is a motorist that
  diverts his or her attention from the road, usually to talk on a cell
  phone, send a text message or eat food.
• Speeding- Many drivers ignore the speed limit and
  drive 10, 20 and sometimes 30 mph over the limit. Speed kills, and
  traveling above the speed limit is an easy way to cause a car accident.
  The faster you drive, the slower your reaction time will be if you need
  to prevent an auto accident.
• Drunk Driving- When you drink, you lose the ability to focus and function properly and
  its very dangerous when operating a vehicle. Driving under the influence
  of alcohol causes car accidents every day, even when they are one the
  top causes that can be avoided. Always use a designated driver if you go
  out and drink.

NH 7 which runs through North-South Corridor is officially listed as running over 2,369 km from Varanasi to Kanyakumari. It is the longest national highway in India.

Adding a front white headlight and a rear red taillight makes you more
visible from a distance. A larger amount of power for the light will
help you to be even brighter and more noticeable.

The Locomotives and Highway Act was the first piece of British motoring legislation. This was also known as the Red Flag Act of 1865. The Act required three persons in attendance one to steer, one to stoke and one to walk 60 yards ahead with a red flag to warm the oncoming traffic.

Article 21 of the Indian constitution gives the right to Life. This right is given to both citizens and non-citizens.

Traffic signals are of three colours, which are Red, Green and Amber.
I) Red means stop
II) Amber means caution
III) Green means go

The Motor car Act of Britain came into force on 1st January 1904. It required that all cars be registered and carry a number plate, and all motorists to have a driving licence. But there was no driving test to pass and the licence was obtained by filling up a form and paying the fee at a post office. The act made dangerous driving anindictable offence.

An ideal road safety education programme should be able to-
I) Inculcate a sense of road discipline in the mind of every road user.
II) Develop a willful respect for road rules.
III) Help a road user tide over any adverse situation on roads.
IV) Instill in the minds of road users a sense of fellow feeling.