A gentle plea for Pakistani drivers – Follow the rules!

• Adeel Zahid


• 22 Apr 2014

Every year, vehicles on roads of Pakistan are increasing by large amounts which is fine but please, when you buy a car, there are certain rules to drive it on the road which we tend to forget or just ignore. Your car might be insured but many doesn’t have theirs.

This is not GTA, where you could just elbow someone and getaway in their car, of course things in Karachi are getting closer to GTA but still, it is a real world and people die or are hurt badly because of our lame driving.

Society has created these rules for a reason and following them will not make you a less of  a human being but it will make you a civilized person and traffic would not be a case of rage and anger, but rather tense free as people follow the rules and make the roads more prosperous of Pakistan.

Together we can really make a difference if we can become more civilized on the roads and follow rules. Buying exotic cars but not knowing how to drive amongst other in the traffic is pretty dumb if you ask me. It just shows how ignorant you are.

You cant solve every problem in Pakistan but if everyone would hold their part of the bargain, the country would be a lot better than a gigantic slum with occasional skyscrapers. Pakistan is the best country because it is ours and in my opinion, if we’d correct little things in our lives, will really make a difference in the world.

Following the rules on road will show how civilized you are and this is called being educated. Breaking the rules does not make you cool in front of society, it just shows how deviant you are towards society. Parking your car anywhere as you please is also forbidden in Pakistan which I guess when asked, we have never heard of it. How can we blame any government when we don’t follow simple rules about how to drive a car on road. Following are simple rules that I and you can follow and contribute a little towards society:

• Slow driving cars must be on the left side of the road.
• The minimum driving age for any motor vehicle is 18 years.
• Driving under influence of drugs or alcohol is forbidden.
• Changing lane or turning without giving proper signal is prohibited.
• It is not permitted to stop over zebra crossing.
• Drivers must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians.
• All vehicles and vehicle drawing a trailer must use extreme left lane unless they are overtaking vehicles moving below the minimum posted speed limits or unavoidable in the interest of safety.
• Any loads carried or towed must be marked the ends with red flags by day and red lights by nights.
• The rider and passenger on a motorcycle, scooter, and moped must wear an approved safety helmet. It is advisable to wear eye protectors.
• Drivers are not permitted to drive under the influence of drugs or medicines.
• All vehicles under the control of learner must display L-plates.
• Driver and all passengers from the front and rear seats must wear seat belts if the latter are available.
• Children under 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) and from 3 to 11 years of age must be transported with using an appropriate special child restraint.
• It is illegal to use of a hand-held telephone or microphone while driving.
• It is prohibited to throw lighted cigarettes or refuse on the road.
• The maximum speed limit on rural highways is 120 km/h (74 mph) on primary roads (motorways, expressways, dual carriageways), 100 km/h (62 mph) on secondary roads (two lanes), and 80 km/h (50 mph) on tertiary roads (signal lane, gravel). The maximum speed limit on urban highways is 100 km/h (62 mph) on primary roads (motorways, expressways, and dual carriageways), 80 km/h (50 mph) on secondary roads (two lanes), 50 km/h (31 mph) on residential streets, and 40 km/h (25 mph) near mosques, schools, and hospitals.
• The minimum speed limit on rural highways is 65 km/h (40 mph) and on urban highways 50 km/h (31 mph).
• All drivers must stop when a school crossing patrol shows a “Stop for children” sign.
• At road junctions, drivers must give way to pedestrians who are already crossing the road into which cars are turning.
• Drivers also must give way to pedestrians on a pavement cars need to cross.
• When someone has stepped on to a pedestrian crossing, drivers must give way.
• In a queue of traffic, drivers must keep pedestrian crossing clear.
• When passing a procession or a body of troops or police on the march, vehicles must move with a speed not greater than 24 km/h.
• It is not permitted to cross double unbroken white lines.
• If double white lines are on the road and the line nearest to a vehicle is broken, a driver may cross the lines to overtake if it is safe. He can do so before reaching an unbroken white line on his side.
• If the marked area on the road is bordered by an unbroken white line, drivers must not enter it except in an emergency.
• Slow moving vehicles must keep to the left of the road.
• Overtaking is not permitted at a corner or bend, a hump bridge, the brow of a hill.
• On narrow hilly roads, vehicles which are going downhill, must stop and give way to vehicles proceeding uphill.
• It is not permitted to turn left from the right lane and right from the left lane.
• Drivers must not turn right on the red light under any circumstances.
• At a controlled intersection, it is prohibited to turn left on red, except places specifically permitted by a sign.
• When reaching the roundabout, drivers must give way to traffic on their right unless road markings indicate otherwise.
• Drivers may use fog lights when they cannot see for more than 100 meters (328 ft) and must not use in other times.
• Drivers must not use their horns in built up areas from 23:30 (11.30 p.m.) to 7:00 (7.00 a.m.) in a built up area.

I am not here to criticize Pakistan as I am a Pakistani too but I just want Pakistan to be better place to live in and I hope some of you will try to contribute to Pakistan by following  these rules and at least this is what we can all do together, do our parts correctly.