What are vehicle papers? What automotive papers to carry while you are on drive? Know what auto paper in India to carry? It is very important to keep the necessary papers in the vehicle for the purpose of being checked by the traffic police or otherwise required at any time. The following are the necessary documents to be kept in the non-transport vehicle:

1. Valid Driving License
2. Proof of valid certificate of registration
3. Proof of valid certificate of insurance
4. Proof of tax payment
5. Fitness certificate
6. Pollution Under Control (P.U.C) certificate
7. Insurance cover note, tax payment receipt and renewal of registration certificate (if required) are valid evidence
8. Xerox copies of the original documents (attested by a gazetted officer) are also acceptable. However if the demanding authority wants to see the original documents, the owner must produce them within 15 days
9. A Xerox copy of the driving license is not acceptable

In case the driving license is confiscated or submitted to the authorities, the receipt given against that works in lieu of the license. So it should also be carried with the vehicle and in original form.

The Officers from the following authorities can demand documents of the vehicle for inspection:

1. Police Department
2. State Transport Authority

Basic Parking Rules

• Do not park any vehicle on the part of a road where traffic is flowing.
• Do not park in such a place where one does not have a clear view for at least 50 meters in both the directions.
• Do not park in a place that blocks a vehicle already parked, a sidewalk, crosswalk, pedestrian crossing or road entrance.
• Do not park your vehicle on the bus bays or bus stops.
• Do not park near the public entrance to a hotel, theatre or public hall when it is open to the public.
• Do not park near any intersection or a round-about.
• Do not park the vehicle in unauthorized parking areas.
• Before opening the door of the parked vehicle, look around. Close the door the moment one gets down.
• Park the vehicle on the left side in the direction of the traffic.

Parallel Parking

The term parallel parking means parking the vehicle in a line i.e. front to rear. The parking area should be one and half times longer than the vehicle to be parked. Check the following rules for parallel parking:

1. Slowly reverse into the space provided for parking, turning the steering wheel anti-clockwise. Take care that you have cleared the vehicle ahead.
2. After seeing the outside rear corner of the vehicle in front of your space, turn the steering wheel clockwise. Do not forget to look back so that you do not hit the vehicle already parked behind you.
3. Bring the vehicle in line with the curb.
4. If the vehicle is not parallel to the curb, drive forward to straighten. Make sure the wheels of the car are straight.
5. After the vehicle is properly parked, pull the handbrake and shift into first or reverse gear. Turn off the engine and remove the key from the ignition.
6. Check the traffic before opening door of the vehicle.

Angular Parking

The term angular parking means parking the vehicle at an angle to the curb of the road. The following basic rules are to be followed in angular parking.

1. Look through the mirrors and over the shoulder for traffic behind you.
2. Give the left indicator to signal to the vehicle behind that you intend to park the vehicle.
3. Steer into the provided parking space and straighten the wheels.
4. Keep equal distance on both the sides, pull the handbrake and shift into first or reverse gear.
5. For Exit: Look through the rear view mirrors and over the shoulder, if the way is clear then reverse slowly. Check that there is no vehicle, take extra care of cycles, rickshaws and pedestrians.

Parking at Night

Try to park vehicles in a lighted place at night. If it is complete dark, turn the parking light on.

Precautions While Passing Parked Vehicles

1. Be careful while passing by a parked vehicle. Never open the door without looking.
2. Beware, a child might be playing and can come in front of your vehicle all of a sudden

Roadside Stop

In an emergency, if you have to stop by the side of the road, make sure the stop is very short.

1. Give signal that you want to pull over and check your mirrors and blind spot to see when the way is clear.
2. Steer to the side of the road, stopping very close to the curb or edge of the road.
3. Put on the four way emergency lights.
4. Apply handbrakes.

What Not to Do while Parking

Do not park:

1. On a foot path
2. Near traffic crossing, round-about or a turn.
3. On the main road
4. Where your vehicle obstructs traffic
5. On wrong side of the road
6. Where parking is prohibited

Driving is not a child’s play. It requires tremendous concentration while you are in busy traffic. Many accidents take place because some factors disturb your concentration and thereby you lose control over the vehicle just for a second! You have to avoid such factors at any cost.

• Always concentrate on driving, keep your eyes on the road and your hands on the steering wheel/handle.
• Never drink and drive.
• Never use your mobile phone while you drive.
• Don't drive in a distracted mood.
• Drive only when you are emotionally stable.
• If possible do not involve yourself in conversations with co-passengers.
• Use your horn sparingly and only to remind others of your presence.
• Do not eat or drink while driving. Always consume food when the vehicle is safely stopped.
• Even having gutka or pan masala can cause serious distraction at times.
• Do not play with kids in your vehicles
• Never install a TV screen on the dash board.
• Avoid using ear phones when you are riding a bike.
• Do not drive when you feel sleepless or feel sleepy.

1. Red is for STOP
2. Yellow for GET READY either to stop
   or
   to go
3. Green for GO

Traffic lights, also known as traffic signals or stop light, is a signaling device that is positioned at a road intersection, pedestrian crossing, or other location to indicate when it is safe to drive, ride, or walk using a universal color code.

RED	The color 'red' on the signal light indicates to stop well before the stop line and not to crowd the intersection. Turn left in a red signal only when there is a sign to do so. While turning, yield the right of way to pedestrians and vehicles coming from other directions.
Amber (Yellow)	The amber (or yellow) light indicates to clear the road when the signal is changing from green to red. If, by mistake, caught in the amber signal in the middle of a large road crossing, continue with care and do not accelerate in panic.
Green	The signal light 'green' set you to go but be careful while on the start of move. Check whether vehicles from other directions have cleared the road. Suppose you want to turn left or right, check the signal whether it allows or not separately. If yes, turn but yield the right of way to pedestrians and vehicles from other directions.
Steady Green Arrow Signal	This indicates to proceed with caution in the direction the arrow points. Remember to yield to all pedestrians and vehicles already in the intersection.
Flashing Red Signal	Flashing red means to come to a complete stop. Do not forget to yield to all other traffic and to pedestrians. Proceed only when the way is clear.
Flashing Amber Signal	Flashing amber indicates to slow down and proceed with caution.

Alcohol affects the Central Nervous System of a person. The sense of judgement is impaired and the ability to control steering is affected.

A teenager killed on the national highway with two other friends after losing control of the wheel as they returned from a party... Even though we may have not been hit by a story such as this, yet, we all agree that drunk driving is a life risk act.

The task of a driver on the road is very tough. He has to overtake the slow moving vehicles, allow fast moving vehicles to overtake, move parallel to other in the adjacent lanes and coordinate with heterogeneous traffic that crosses the road at random. Maintaining presence of mind is very important and many decisions is to be taken in a split of a second. A driver who is drunk cannot perform these tasks and would endanger traffic safety.

Alcohol affects the Central Nervous System of a person. Even at BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) of 0.05 per cent the sense of judgement is impaired and the ability to control steering is affected. It is a truth that abuse of alcohol results in increased incidence of traumatic vehicular injuries and deaths.

What Drunken Driver Lacks:

1. Alertness in perceiving a danger in the road and reacting to it quickly.
2. Accuracy of vision.
3. A broad range of vision to take note of events taking place on either side of the road without turning head in either direction.
4. Ability to perceive distance between two moving objects and their relative position in space.
5. Capacity to distinguish accurately between three traffic light colours e.g. green, amber and red.
6. Ability to drive the vehicle safely during night hours.
7. Ability to recover the glare effect quickly.

What the Motor Vehicle Act Says:

The motor vehicle Act, 1939, amended up to 1989 contains a clause 117 which reads as:

"117 Driving by a drunken person or by a person under the influence of drugs - whoever while driving or attempting to drive a motor vehicle or riding or attempting to ride, a motor cycle - (a) has in his blood, alcohol in any quantity, howsoever small the quantity may be or (b) is under the influence of a drug to such an extent as to be incapable of exercising proper control over the vehicle shall be punishable for the first offence with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees or with both; and for a second or subsequent offence, if committed within three years of the commission of the previous similar offence, with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three thousand rupees, or with both".