Driving side and lanes
- In India, vehicles keep to the left side of the road.
- Slow vehicles should stay in the left lane; the right lane is for overtaking.
- Keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front — more at higher speed.
Overtaking
- Overtake from the right, only when it is safe.
- Do not overtake on a sharp bend, near a pedestrian crossing, on a narrow bridge or where the view ahead is blocked.
- When an ambulance or fire engine sounds its siren behind you, move left and give way.
Signals and junctions
- Red: stop behind the stop line. Amber: stop if you can do so safely. Green: go, when the way is clear.
- At a roundabout, give way to vehicles already on the roundabout.
- Stop and give way to pedestrians on a zebra crossing.
- At an unmanned railway crossing, stop, look both ways and cross only when it is safe.
Safety equipment
- The driver and all passengers in a car must wear seat belts.
- Both rider and pillion rider of a two-wheeler must wear a helmet.
- A two-wheeler can carry only the rider and one pillion passenger.
Do not
- Do not use a mobile phone while driving.
- Do not drive after drinking. The legal limit is 30 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood.
- Do not blow the horn in silence zones such as near hospitals and schools.
- At night, dip your headlights for oncoming vehicles.
Documents to carry
Registration certificate (RC), valid driving licence, valid insurance and a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate. Third-party insurance is compulsory for every motor vehicle.
After an accident
Stop, help the injured, call an ambulance and the police, and do not leave the spot.
Rules and penalties are updated from time to time and some details vary by state. Always confirm with your state transport department.