Road Safety Initiative

Everyone in this world wishes to live long and enjoy the beauty of mother earth. But natural calamities demand our life and many times our innocence and lack of awareness cut short our life span. Year over year accidents increases even though infrastructure of our nation is growing fast and providing better way of driving on the roads especially highways. Government and many non profit NGOs organize Road Safety Weeks and create awareness about the road safety and the value of human life, but we fail to do so.

Mobility with safety is the guiding principle for the Meghalaya Traffic Police. To achieve this, our action plan rests on four pillars or ERER i.e. Education, Regulation, Enforcement and Road Engineering. Challaning (Enforcement) is our last priority and has to be undertaken as some road users violate traffic rules endangering safety of others.

Police officers of the rank of Sub-Inspector in Meghalaya Traffic Police and above are authorized to compound certain traffic offences. If a person does not choose the option of compounding or the officer is not competent to compound the traffic offence, challans are sent to Traffic Challaning Branch. A period of 14 days is given to the person to pay the compounding fee at the Traffic Challaning Branch. Thereafter, Challans are sent to the Court. Compounding amounting for the various offences is given in the table below. We are sure you will like to save this unnecessary expenditure:

Certain offences like driving under the influence of liquor/drugs, using vehicle in unsafe condition or without permit and failure to rush accident victims to doctors/hospital by the driver of the offending vehicle or refusal/neglect by doctor to treat such victims are not compoundable and the offender is tried in the Court for the offence.

Other Causes of Road Accident :

• Heavy vehicular traffic
• Absence of ample space for pedestrians
• Traffic violations
• Lack of pedestrian discipline

Tips to Drive Safely :

Following are the road safety tips and to drive safely and smartly

• Think that all lives are valuable and drive with caution
• Observe the traffic signs on the sides of the road and follow them, like speed break ahead, speed limit 20 km, school zone etc
• Avoid drink and drive or avoid driving after getting drunk or if under medication. Its against law and punishable if found.
• Drive in a prescribed speed limit.
• Be alert regarding pedestrians while taking turns, especially right turns at red lights.
• Never use mobile phones while driving, riding
• Check up your vehicle regularly and especially before long journey.
• Never drive against traffic rules
• Dont do practice driving in the highway

Kinds of helmets to be used :

• Every time you go out for a drive, wear a helmet properly strapped below the chin.
• It should have a thick padding of thermocole- at least 20 mm-, which must extend to the sides of the head.
• A full face helmet is safer by all means.

When Walking:

• Walk only on the pavement or footpath, not on the road.
• If there is no pavement, walk on the right hand side of the road so you can see the traffic coming towards you.
• Walk one behind the other at turns or if there is a heavy traffic.
• Be extra careful if you can't see the road far ahead.
• Do not behave in the street as you do in the playground.
• If you can walk but cannot run, make sure you carry a bright colored walking stick when you cross the road so that drivers are careful and slow down.
• Ensure your visibility to vehicle drivers, especially at night. Wear bright coloured clothes such as yellow and white, which are easier to see at night or pin reflectors to your clothes.
• If you are walking with a younger child, always hold his or her hand when using the road.
• Try to walk in the centre of the pavement. Someone might suddenly open the car doors.
  Do not challenge or encourage friends to do anything risky on the road.
• If a friend calls from the other side of the road, never hurry, check traffic first.
• Wait patiently and let the traffic pass.

How to cross the road safely:

• Wait patiently and let the traffic pass.
• Find the safest place to cross then stop. Don't cross if you are not sure.
• Keep looking & listening while crossing.
• If available cross the road at a zebra crossing, traffic light crossings or at traffic islands or where there is a police officer or a traffic warden. Wait on the pavement until the traffic has completely stopped.
• If not available, choose a place where you can see clearly along the roads in all directions, and where drivers can see you.

Note - Never cross on turns

Advice for Children :

Keep in mind the following safety rules and use them without fail!

• Children playing ball games near roads are likely to run across the road carelessly to pick the ball as the ball goes out of the field.
• Strict instructions should be given to children to be very careful while crossing the road to pick the ball.
• Find the safest place to cross then stop. Don't cross if you are not sure.
• Keep looking & listening while crossing.
• Do not be impatient on the road. Do not rush or run on the road.
• When crossing between vehicles parked on the side of the road, remember that you are not visible to the moving traffic.
• Stop as you appear from behind the vehicle and look for a safe gap before crossing.
• Cross only at Zebra crossings, traffic signals, foot over-bridges. Where such facilities do not exist, look for a safe place to cross.
• While crossing one-way streets, remember that the traffic will usually be moving in a number of lanes and at higher speeds.
• Do not cross unless all lanes are clear.
• While traveling in a bus stay away from the footboard of the bus and never put any part of the body outside a moving or stationary bus.