30BasicRulesoftheRoad

Withnewvehiclescomingouteachdayandlotofnewdriversbehindthewheel,itisimperativethatwegetbacktothebasicsand
makesurewearefollowingtherulesandmakingsureeveryoneelseweknowisfollowingtherules.Noexceptionsifyouarebehind
thewheelofacarorridingatwowheeleryouhavetoknowandfollowtherules.AllyounewTataNanoownersandfirsttimedrivers
thispostisdedicatedespeciallyforyou.
ThesourceoftheserulesistheofficialwebsiteoftheDepartmentofRoadTransportandHighways.Thelanguageonthe
governmentwebsiteisabitconvolutedanddifficulttoreadandtherulesareinseparatePDFfileswhichmakesittedioustoread.I
havetriedtomaketheruleseasytounderstandandhaveconsolidatedthemallintothispost.TheserulesarereferredtoastheRules
oftheRoadRegulations,1989andcameintoeffectfromthefirstdayofJuly1989.Heretheyare:
1.KeepLeft:Driveasclosetotheleftsideoftheroadandallowalltrafficgoingintheoppositedirectiontopassontheright
handside.
2.TurningLeft:Whenneedingtoturnontoaroadontheleft,stayclosetotheleftsideoftheroadandaftermakingtheturn
continueontheleftsideoftheroad.(Donotcutacrosslanesfromtherightsideoftheroadandthenturnleft).
3.TurningRight:Whenturningontoaroadontherightside,firstapproachthecenteroftheroadassafelyaspossibleandthen
turntotherightandstayontheleftsideoftheroad.
4.Passing:Ifthereisaneedtopasstrafficproceedinginthesamedirection,alwayspass/overtakethemontheirrightside.The
onlyexceptiontothiswouldbethecasewhereavehiclethatistryingtoturntotheright(andhasindicatedtheirintentionto
turnright)isoccupyingthecenterlaneandthereforerequirespassingthemontheleftside.
5.PassingProhibited:Overtaking/passingavehicleproceedinginthesamedirectionisprohibitedinthefollowingscenarios:
1.Thepassing/overtakingwouldcauseinconvenienceordangertoanyvehicleproceedinginanydirection.
2.Onbends/curvesintheroadoronhillsorthereareotherobstructionspresentthatpreventsaclearviewoftheroad
ahead.
3.Ifthedriverbehindthecurrentvehiclehasalreadystartedtoovertakethevehicle
4.Thedriverofthevehicleinfronthasnotyetsignaledthathemaybeovertaken.(
PleaseNote:Thesolidlinespaintedonthemiddleoftheroadindicatepassingisprohibitedforaslongasthelineisa
solidlineyouwillnoticethemonbridges,curvesandwherevisibilityoftheroadaheadisnotpresent.Overtakingwhen
safetodosoisallowedwhenthelinechangestoadashedline.)
6.WhenbeingPassed/Overtakenbyanothervehicle:Thedrivershouldnotspeedupordoanythingtopreventtheother
vehiclefrompassing.
7.Intersections:Driversshouldslowdownwhenapproachingroadcorners,intersections,junctionsorpedestriancrossingsand
notenteruntilsurethatsuchanentrywillnotendangerthesafetyofpedestriansorpeopleinothervehiclesthere.
8.RightofWay:Whenenteringanintersectionthatisnotregulatedbyatrafficsignalorbyatrafficpolicemanandwhichisan
entryontoamainroad,thedriverofthevehicleistogiverightofwaytothevehiclesalreadyproceedingonthatroad.Inall
othercasesthedriveristogivewaytotrafficapproachingfromhisrighthandsideandonlythenproceed.
9.EmergencyVehicles:FireServiceVehiclesandAmbulancesaretobeallowedfreepassageanddriversofallothervehicles
shouldmovetheirvehiclestothesideoftheroadtodoso.
10.Pedestrians:Pedestrianshavetherightofwayatuncontrolledpedestriancrossings.
11.UTurns:Uturnsmaybedoneonlywhen
1.Notexplicitlyprohibitedbyasign
2.Onlyafterindicatingtheturnisbeingplannedeitherthroughahandsignalorthroughthevehicleindicators
3.Aftercheckingthemirrorstomakesurethereisnotrafficfrombehind
4.Checkingtheroadtomakesurethatthereisnoothertrafficanditissafetodoso.
12.RequiredSignals:Thesearereallyhandsignalsarementionedinpoint13oftherulesoftheroad.Veryfewpeopleactually
knowthehandsignsandusethem.Itisgoodtolearnthemandbepreparedtousethemifyouhaveanyissuewithyour
indicatorlightsorwithyourbrakelights.Thehandsignsforthefollowingshouldbefollowedifthevehiclebrake/indicatorlights
donotwork:
1.Whenthevehicleisabouttoslowdown
2.Whenthevehicleisabouttostop
3.Whenthevehicleisabouttoturntotherightsideorpassavehicleontheright
4.Whenthevehicleisabouttoturntotheleft
5.Whenindicatingthatitissafeforthevehiclebehindtopass
13.Indicators:Thesignalsindicatedinregulation#13canbesimplifiedbytheuseofmechanicalorelectricaldevices(indicators).
14.Parking:Whenparkingthevehiclemakesurethatitdoesnotcauseanydanger,obstructionorinconvenienceforotherroad
users.
15.Registration:Loadsorgoodsshouldnotbekeptonthevehicleinamannerthatobstructsvisibility,theheadlamps/taillampsor
theregistrationnumberofthevehicle.Ifanyobstructionoftheregistrationisdoneaduplicateistobekeptinavisiblespot.
16.OneWayRoads:OndesignatedOneWayroadsdriveonlyinthedirectionindicatedontheroadsigns.Donotdrivethe
vehicleinreverseintoaOnewaystreet.
17.StopLines:Atroadintersections,pedestriancrossingsandstopsignsmakesurethatthevehicleisfullybehindthestoplines
paintedontheroad.Thedriverhastodrivetakingintoaccountthisrequirementofstoppingbeforethestoplinewhenrequired
byastoplightorsignorbyapoliceofficer.
18.Towing:Novehiclesmaybetowedbehindanothermotorvehicle.Theonlyexceptionsare
1.Mechanicallydisabledvehicles

2.Incompletelyassembledvehicles
3.Registeredtrailersandsidecars
4.Theabovemaybetowedonlyforthepurposeofdeliveryortothenearestgarageorservicestation.
19.Noise:Driversshouldnot
1.Soundthehornmorethannecessaryforsafety.Continuouslyandunnecessarysoundingofthehornisillegal.
2.SoundthehornIndesignatedsilentzones(fore.g.suchashospitalzones)
3.Usemultitonedhornsthatareharsh,shrill,loudoralarming
4.Usecutoutsfortheexhausts
5.Drivevehiclesthatcreatealotofnoisewheninmotion
6.Drivevehicleswithoutpropermufflerscausingaloudsound
20.TrafficLights&Signs:Obeythetrafficsignallights,theinstructionsgivenbythetrafficpolicemenorby
designated/authorizedpeopleinchargeofregulatingtraffic
21.FollowingDistance:Keepsufficientdistancebehindthevehicleinfronttoallowdistancetostopifthevehicleinfronthasto
stopsuddenly.
22.RightofWayonmountainroads/steeproads:Wherethewidthoftheroadisnotsufficientforvehiclestopasseachother
safely,thevehiclegoingdownhillhastostoptothesideoftheroadandallowthevehiclesgoinguphilltopass.
23.ObstructionofControl:Thedriverofthevehicleshouldnotallowapersontosit,standorplaceanythingthatobstructshis
controlofthevehicle.
24.PassingPedestrians:Whenpassingaprocession,meeting,troopsorpoliceonthemarchorroadrepairworkmendonot
drivefasterthan25kilometersperhour.
25.Tractor&GoodsCarriages:Driversoftractorsarenotpermittedtocarrypassengersonthetractor.Driversofgood
carriagesshouldnotallowmorepersonsthanlistedonthevehicleregistrationtotravelinthecabinortakepassengersforhire
orreward.
26.Loading:Vehiclesshouldnotbeloadedinsuchawaythatcausesdangertootherroadusers.Loadcarryingvehiclesshouldnot
haveanythingextendingoutsidethevehicletowardsthefront,rear,sidesandshouldalsofollowallowedmaximumheight
restrictions.
27.DangerousMaterials:Otherthanthefuelandlubricantnecessaryforvehicleoperation,noexplosive,inflammableorother
dangeroussubstanceshouldbecarriedonanypublictransportvehicle.
28.Drivinginreverse:Thedrivershouldnotdrivethevehicleinreversewithoutfirstmakingsurethatdoingsowouldnotcause
anydangerorinconveniencetoanypersonontheroad.
29.Documentstobecarried/producedondemand:Thepersondrivingthevehicleistoalwayscarrythefollowingdocuments:
1.DrivingLicense
2.Certificateofregistrationofthevehicle
3.Certificateoftaxation
4.Certificateofinsurance
5.Fortransportvehiclesthefollowingadditionaldocumentsarerequired
1.Thepermit
2.Fitnesscertificate
6.ThesedocumentsaretobeproducedondemandbyanyPoliceofficerinUniform,OfficersoftheMotorVehicles
DepartmentinUniformorbyanyofficerauthorizedbytheGovernment.Ifthedriverdoesnothavethedocumentsin
his/herpossessionheshouldproduceattestedcopiesinpersonorthroughregisteredposttotheofficerwhodemandedit
within15days.
30.AdditionalRegulations:DrivershavetobefamiliarwiththefollowingadditionalguidelinesoftheMotorVehiclesAct1988.
ThenumbersbelowaretheMotorVehiclesActnumbers.ThesearePDFfiles.
#112SpeedLimits
#113WeightLimits,II
#121Signals,SignalsII
#122Leavingvehicleinadangerousposition
#125Duplicateof#24onObstructionofControl
#132DutytoofDrivertoStop
#134Dutiesofdriverincaseofaccident/injuryI,II
#185DrunkenDriving
#186Drivingwhenmentallyorphysicallyunfittodrive
#194Drivingvehicleexceedingweightlimits
#207Powertodetainvehicleswithoutrequireddocuments
PleasealsolookatthisthreadonTeamBHPwhichcoversalotofthefinesandadditionalregulationsoftheMotorVehiclesAct.One
replybyarjyamajisfuntoread.
ThoughthesearetheruleshowweactuallydriveinIndiaismuchdifferent.Dotakealookatoneofmyrelatedpostsonthistopic
here:http://cars.zimbly.com/2009/05/drivinginindia/
ARequest:Pleasepasstheserulestoyourfriendsandrelativesandifyouare/knowafirsttimedriverpleasemakesuretheygo
throughthesebeforetheygetbehindthewheel.Makesureyourowndriversfollowtheserulesanddemandthatyourhireddrivers
(cabs/rentals/autos/shareautos)alsofollowtheserules.Pleasesigninthroughcommentsthatyouwillfollowtheserulesasmuchas
youcanandwillencourageasmanyothersasyoucantodosoaswell.Letusmaketheroadsabitsaferforeveryone.DriveSafe!
Updated:May31,2012FixedalotofthelinkstotheMinistryWebsitethatseemedtohavebecomeobsolete.