Car Rental in India: Ensuring Safety Amidst Rash Driving

India has always been an attraction for foreign travelers especially due to its vibrant cultural landscape. There are dedicated chapters in Indian history books about foreign travellers who visitedIndia in the past. However, this enthusiasm to explore India is now being obstructed by rash driving. Rash Driving roughly translates to aggressive and reckless driving.

This behind-the-wheel behaviour poses a threat to road safety. Driving above the set speed limit, abrupt lane changes, and disobeying traffic rules are now the next common thing. Being on the road has become difficult, especially if you are a foreign tourist.

Foreign tourists are scared of renting cars and self-driving because vehicles will overtake them from everywhere. The alarming situation of rash driving can be illustrated with the example of various videos on the internet. If you type ‘how to cross roads in India’ you will find a video for the same with 1.5 million views. There are funny videos too about crossing roads and still people think it is just a joke and exaggeration. It seems like for foreign tourists there is just one rule to cross roads and that is ‘do not get hit’. This article will address these problems and will give you practical advice to help you navigate Indian roads safely.

Understanding the Challenge of Rash Driving

The root cause of the rash driving population is a rapid increase in population and urbanization. It leads to congested and overcrowded roads where driving becomes a game of survival.

Particularly in cities, high traffic density can be overwhelming for foreigners who are not familiar with such conditions.

Additionally, Indian roads have mixed traffic including cars, trucks, bicycles, buses and so on, all kinds of vehicles share the same road.

Furthermore, it is not that rules do not exist but people have flexible attitudes. You can see many drivers making split-second decisions like suddenly overtaking you from the wrong side. Moreover, buses and autos will stop abruptly in the middle of the road to ask standing people where they want to go to their destination.

Phenomena of Honking on Indian Roads

With overcrowded roads and impatience among the drivers, honking becomes a tool of communication. Sometimes this excessive honking is used to express anger and even as a signal to ask a friend to come out of their house.

Maybe people who love honking think that horns can replace accelerators and they do give some wings and propellers to their vehicle as well as to the one standing in front of them. We are talking about wings and propellers as nobody understands that it is a red light which means to stop but people continue honking as if a vehicle will fly over.

Constant honking leads to noise pollution thus affecting overall public health. Moreover, continuous honking further increases stress and aggression among drivers and possibly leads towards road rage.

The excessive honking could be stressful and a road culture shock if you are a foreigner. Thus be prepared and familiarize yourself with prevalent issues and take required precautions.

How to Ensure Safe Transportation in Your Journey?

It is always a good idea to do some research on your destination before visiting. When you are on Indian roads as a foreign tourist, refrain from self-driving. Driving on your own in a foreign country could be full of challenges. For some foreigners driving becomes a bad experience due to differences in traffic rules. It is not just traffic rules but also the driving habits of Indians that can make the roads an aggressive battlefield for a foreigner. Therefore safe transportation should be your top priority. You can use the following methods to ensure a safe journey:

Public Transport: If the city you are visiting has a good network of public transport such as the metro, trains, and buses, you can use it instead of driving. You can also use airport prepaid taxis where you pay in advance before starting the journey.
Hiring Private Drivers: Hiring private drivers from a reliable company is a very good option for commuting. These companies can provide you with professional and experienced drivers who are also well aware of local driving conditions. One such example is Stayfari, a company that offers chauffeur-driven cab services in India. Additionally, Stayfari offers vehicles for tourists, business travel and corporate use.
Hotel Arrangements: There are many upscale hotels that also car and chauffeur service to their clients. Although it can be on the expensive side if we compare it with hiring private drivers.
Being Calm: Staying calm is very important particularly when you see traffic jams. India has a huge population thus traffic jams are inevitable, especially during office hours.
Planning of Routes: Planning your routes ahead of your travel is the key to a stress-free journey on the road. You can use navigation apps as this will help you to avoid where there is high traffic or congestion.
Choose Your Driver Carefully: If you are hiring a private driver make sure that they are experienced and professional. You do not need drivers who will show off their driving skills through risks. That is why you always have to choose reliable cab services. For example, a customer who used Stayfari wrote “The driver was knowledgeable of the routes and ensured my travel was without any hassle or delay.” Therefore, a calm and composed driver is a ticket to a safe and comfortable journey.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it can be said that navigating on Indian roads can be very challenging for visitors and even for netizens. However, by following safety tips and preparation you can avoid the risks. It is difficult to be on Indian roads as a foreigner but by following the safety tips you can have the reward of discovering India that awaits you.

Being well-prepared and open-minded will make your travel smooth. One cannot expect the same driving conditions as in their home country. It must be the same for Indians when they drive in foreign countries where rules are strict and everyone drives in lanes.