abhimanyu

The superior right of pedestrians and sensitivity towards others in the interest of roadways safety are basic to traffic control.

If you have been to a driving license directorate, then you have to go through a ritual of demonstrating your knowledge of road safety features, road regulations and driving safety.

Hence a zebra crossing is for the pedestrians to cross a road while you as motorist must wait at the stop line at a traffic signal. Often people are confused what a yellow signal indicates.

As a traffic signal turns from red to green or vice versa it passes through a yellow signal indicating the changeover and if you are on the move you must prepare to stop much before the red signal while you approach an intersection.

On the other hand, if you have to start moving after a halt at the red signal then the changeover yellow light indicates that now you can prepare to roll on the road. The yellow signal is for you to get set to go or in the previous situation to get set to stop.

You must know that pedestrians have a superior right as a road user as has been laid down by the courts of law of the welfare societies. As a motorist you cannot claim to have the right to use the road at the time when a pedestrian chooses or wants to cross the road.

As a southerner you may have come across situations in the West when a pedestrian wants to cross a road and a motorist stops at a distance well short of the pedestrian, allowing the latter all access to his right. The driving safety is not just about your safety as a driver, it is more for the safety of other motorists and more so the pedestrians.

The superior right of pedestrians and sensitivity towards others in the interest of roadways safety are basic to traffic control, which is reached through sustained campaigning and training of the road users.