The dos and don’ts of highway driving

With Eid-ul-Adha knocking at the door, it's that time of the year again when people will be setting out for their hometowns or for a yearly vacation to tourist destinations across the country.

With public transport systems running at over capacity during the Eid season, many prefer to take their personal vehicles with them.

However, this is also the time of the year when there are many seasoned motorists on the road. Hence, knowing the unspoken rules of highway driving can make the difference between a smooth journey and a stress-filled ordeal.

Here are three dos and don'ts to keep in mind to ensure a safe inter-district road trip and enjoy a joyous Eid.

Do: Maintain a safe following distance

Unlike city streets, where bumper to bumper traffic is the norm, the case has to be the opposite when it comes to the highway. Apart from the rickshaw pullers, nearly every other vehicle knows that a safe distance needs to be maintained from the vehicle in front.

When it comes to driving on the highways, maintaining a safe distance becomes even more important as all the cars are being driven at high speeds. This means that a greater braking distance is required for cars before they can slow down if necessary.

Thus, it's ideal to maintain at least 15 to 20 feet distance from vehicles ahead and avoid tailgating at any instances so there's room to manoeuvre if something goes awry.

Do: Use your indicators properly

Communication is a key factor to ensure safety on the highway, especially while merging and changing lanes, or overtaking other vehicles. The car's indicators signal your intentions to other drivers.

Daylight or rainfall, this rule applies regardless of the situation, but especially when visibility is poor. Using the indicators followed by dippers will also signal to the other vehicles when you intend to overtake another vehicle.

Properly using the indicators can help to prevent accidents and ensure a harmonious flow of traffic.

Do: Keep an eye on your mirrors

The side mirrors give drivers the idea of the car's rear dimensions and the vehicles which are driving behind your car. To be aware of the surroundings and to anticipate the actions of others on the road behind you, it is crucial to keep an eye on the mirrors.

The rear-view mirror will give an idea of the vehicle which is directly behind you while the side mirrors will guide you during lane changes, giving an idea of all the vehicles on your left and right.

Given the wide variety of vehicles which travel on our highways, most vehicles are not able to maintain a single lane, making overtakes and lane changes almost mandatory.

Hence, it is advised to make a habit of looking into the mirrors, ideally every 10 seconds. It will keep you informed about the traffic dynamics around you, allowing smoother and safer lane changes and merges.

Don't: Drive distracted

While it may sound obvious, driving at high speeds on the highway means you're covering more distance every second your eyes are off the road.

Unlike city driving when you're replying to texts or switching songs on Spotify, though you're advised not to under any condition, you're at a much greater risk when you're doing the same on the highway. Perhaps, looking up another song could mean the difference between life and death.

If you need to attend an important call, safely park the vehicle on the side of the road first or ask a passenger to answer the call on your behalf.

Don't: Hog the right lane

In Bangladesh where cars are right hand drive, the rightmost lanes are known as the fast lanes, having the highest speed limit, typically 80 km/h. In cases of overtaking vehicles in front, it is advised to use the right lane.

Thus, if you're at a speed way below the limit in the left lane, then chances are, you're probably hogging up your lane, creating a long queue of vehicles waiting to overtake you from behind, especially with the plethora of slow moving three-wheelers on the left lanes, already blocking these cars from overtaking in the first place.

This will result in congestion, with a bunch of frustrated drivers behind waiting to make dangerous moves as they try to merge into your lane or overtake from behind.

Don't: Speed excessively

In most national highways, the speed limit for all motor vehicles is 80km/h. But with the long stretch of roads in front, it could get quite tempting to taste the thrill of speed once in a while.

However,  your will for a short spirited highway driving can become life threatening to others. In many rural areas, three-wheelers, tractors, and even people on the left lanes are a common sight. Hence, with excessive speeding and longer brake time, the potential for severe accidents dramatically increases.

Not to mention the potential speeding fine that's waiting if you get caught, which happens more often than you might anticipate.