People often say that the rules are meant to be broken! Sure, they might be, but you should set aside these unwise sayings when your own life is at stake. It is not a hidden secret that in India, the traffic rules are barely followed and the most common broken traffic rule is the violation of the speed limits on the highways. According to the latest report published related to accidents in India, over speeding contributes to about 97000 deaths annually. Most of the deaths involved innocent bystanders on the road. The bitter truth is that these incidents can be greatly reduced if the road users are made more aware of the advantages of following the highway speed limits. Here are five important factors why there is a need for speed limits and why speed limits should be followed on Indian highways-
1. Safety on the road
The most obvious advantage of following the speed limits on the highway. Being safe is the first thing that you should be concerned about while out on a highway. You can increase safety by a huge margin if you follow the speed limits. You are essentially fighting with physics when the faster you drive. The chances of anything going wrong at high speed are very high given the mediocre response time we humans have. Adhering to the speed limit can ensure that not only yours, but many other precious lives on the road are also safer.
2. Better vehicle control
Your vehicle is designed to drive efficiently within a certain speed envelope. Pushing beyond the safety net will greatly compromise the overall control that you have over a vehicle, making it a valid factor for the need for speed limits. At high speeds, you can easily lose control over your vehicle, especially when the road conditions are wet, and can cause fatal accidents. What’s more, the ride will be jerky and unpleasant. Driving within safe speed limits will ensure that you have proper control in an event of an emergency, and you can safely outmaneuver away from any danger. Smart aids such as Traction control or Vehicle stability control system will also work better if you are within the safety envelope.
3. More fuel efficiency
It is a simple physics rule, that you will need more energy if you want to move a mass at a greater speed. You can easily cut down your fuel expenses by over 20% if you drive safely by following the speed limits. The vehicle will also run much stress-free and it will also cause less wear and tear, resulting in reduced maintenance costs. Major components such as the brakes, transmission are then put under a lot less stress if you follow the speed limits on the highway.
4. Avoid penalties
The new traffic rules, which were amended in the year 2019, now invite a very heavy fine if you are found breaking the speed limits. Under the Motor Vehicle Act, you can now be fined up to 10000 INR and can also be imprisoned for up to 2 years. Also if you are involved in an accident and your insurance provider detects that you violated the speed limits, you can kiss your insurance coverage goodbye. In the future too, you will have to pay heavy insurance premiums to have insurance coverage. If the traffic police decide that your speeding amounted to rash and negligent driving, then your vehicle can also be impounded.
5. Reduced braking distance
Do you know that a seemingly insignificant difference between 80kmph and 100kmph can increase the braking distance by almost 100 feet and if you calculate the time taken to respond by the driver? In that distance, a lot of uneventful things can happen, leading to a fatal car accident. Things will get worse in wet conditions and you can also lose steering control of your vehicle. So it is better to drive within the speed limits and keep the braking distance under check.
Conclusion
Nothing is more precious than your life, you can replace your vehicle but not your life, you can gauge the need for speed limits from this. So it is better to follow the speed limits on the highway and make roads a safer place for everyone. Overall, by driving fast, you are not gaining much as the average speed remains more or less the same. Surely it will provide that thrill factor, but that comes at a very heavy cost. So be a responsible driver, know your duties on the road, and do not play with innocent lives on the road.
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