Believe it or not, with only about 1% of the world’s cars plying across its roads and highways, India accounts for about 15% of traffic deaths that occur worldwide each year! This fact has been showcased by a recent feature published in The Guardian. What is actually going wrong? Are we simply careless or do we fail to realize the importance of safe driving? At a time when the government is trying to do its bit by making stricter traffic rules, we, as citizens, need to do our bit too.
The interesting thing is that today, the market for car accessories in India has come up with interesting and innovative accessories that can actually help in ensuring a safe ride. Apart from investing in them, we perhaps need to abide by some basic norms of safe driving. Here’s a look at how we could make a difference.
The Dos of Safe Driving
- Ask yourself if you are ready: Well, the very first question you need to ask yourself is, am I fit to drive? Often times, you may feel drowsy, groggy or just too lethargic to drive. If this is the case, it is better to entrust the job to someone else. Remember, safe driving requires complete alertness. If you happen to be under the influence of alcohol or medication that can induce drowsiness or disorientation, getting behind the wheel is the biggest mistake to make. Although you may feel confident of tackling the task, you may not actually be efficient enough to do so. Making a realistic judgment is important.
- Ensure complete comfort: Well, you drive your best when you are comfortable. So make sure your seat adjustments and the height of your steering wheel is right before you start off. If you are suffering from a backache or require additional support, there are car accessories available for additional lumbar support. These have to be fixed to the back of your seat. Backrest massagers are also available for extra pampering. You may even wish to go for these if there is a long drive on the cards.
- Manage Kids Well: Traveling with children could be challenge for many reasons. Most importantly, kids can be distracting because they tend to get irritable and make a lot of noise, especially during the course of a long drive. The first thing to do is use the seat belt to prevent them from moving around too much. Secondly, you could consider car audio visual displays that work on pen drive feed and play their favourite cartoon and keep them engaged. Considering a smart car accessory like a wireless Bluetooth speaker for playing their kind of music is also a good idea.
- Do not allow cell phones to distract you: Well, checking cell phones for messages is a habit most of us cannot do away with. Every time you pick your phone and refer to the texts, it takes away your focus. Also, if you are referring to your phone GPS every now and then, the distractions could be even more. What you need is a rotatable mobile phone stand for your car that keeps your handset secure and easily accessible. This way, you can simply look at the screen whenever you need to without having to take your hands off the steering wheel.
- Use Smart Gadgets for Additional Help: Some smart gadgets like anti-glare rear view mirrors for night time driving and backup sensors can take a lot of load off your shoulders. The best part is that you can buy car accessories online in India.
Driving safe is also about knowing the traffic rules and maintaining lane discipline. Make sure you keep your impulses in check too.