Road Safety

Road Safety

1. Observe the speed limit.
2. If you are driving a bit slowly or normally and you find someone tailgating you (bullies exist all over the world), you might want to let it pass by stopping at a road shoulder if possible.
3. Do not anyhow use hazard lights (like most Asians do) to stop. People think you are in trouble and need assistance.
4. If you hear emergency vehicles from behind or in front, be prepared to stop by signalling hazard lights and stop as quickly and as close to whichever roadside possible to let them pass. Even at traffic lights when you have the right of way, all vehicles will attempt to stop to give way.
5. On mountain or hilly roads, you might want to switch on headlights.
6. Switch on headlights in tunnels.
7. Do not overtake unless necessary.
8. Driving at night is relatively safe in urban or suburban areas, although there may not be street lights. However, narrow hilly or mountainous roads are to be avoided as there will be no street lights at all in these areas.
9. Where the roads are narrow in cities or villages, there is usually no indication that it's a one-way or 2-way street. A good GPS will not lead you against a one-way street. Otherwise proceed with caution.
10. Where there are trams and buses in city areas, drive carefully, as you drive sometimes on roads which are also the tram paths.
11. When driving along small roads, at cross junctions when there are no traffic lights, there is no international traffic "Stop" sign telling you that you don't have the right of way. In France, you have to give priority to the one coming on your right, so take heed at these cross-junctions.
12. Sometimes, you may come across roads undergoing construction, and cars from each side are only permitted to travel at any one time obeying automated un-manned signalised traffic lights. Watch out for these traffic lights, because you may miss them while driving and not notice whether you have the right of way at that time.
13. Whether you have priority or not on 2 way streets :

If you are travelling in the same direction as the "up" arrow, you have priority. Otherwise, if you see a red "up" arrow, slow down or stop to give way to the oncoming traffic.