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Safe Driving Tips: Following Distance, Night, Rain, Fog and EVs
Safe driving in India comes down to a few habits: keep a gap you can stop in, slow down whenever you can see less, never drive tired, and assume others will make mistakes. Police in Chandigarh and Kolkata teach a 2-second gap and Hyderabad police a 3-second gap, with more in rain, fog and at night. The Driving Regulations, 2017 don't set a number of seconds: they say to stay far enough back to stop safely.
- Gap, dry road
- 2–3 seconds
- Gap, bad weather
- 4–5 seconds
- Stopping at 60 km/h
- About 42 m
- Emergency
- 112 · Fire 101
- Law
- Driving Regulations, 2017
On this page
What is defensive driving?
Defensive driving means driving so that other people's mistakes don't turn into your crash. Hyderabad Traffic Police sum it up as staying alert and anticipating: "never assume that every road user will follow the rules." In practice:
- Look far ahead and keep scanning. Seeing a problem early gives you time to react.
- Check your mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds, and always before you change lanes, brake, turn or overtake. Turn your head to check the blind spot before moving sideways.
- Keep an escape route. Leave space on at least one side so you are not boxed in.
- Show what you are going to do with indicators and brake lights in good time. Use the horn only when you foresee danger (reg. 23).
- Match your speed to the conditions, not just the limit. Kolkata Traffic Police point out that driving too fast or too slowly can be dangerous.
- Stay calm. Let an aggressive driver go. If someone tailgates you, move over when it is safe and let them pass.
- If a crash can't be avoided, choose the least dangerous option: Kolkata police give the example that a ditch is better than a head-on collision.
The law expects the same: you must be in full control of your physical and mental abilities when you drive (reg. 5(2)), drive at a speed that keeps you in control at all times (reg. 16(1)), and never use a hand-held phone (reg. 37). The rules themselves are on traffic rules in India.
How far behind should you stay? The 2 and 3-second gap
Regulation 17 says to keep enough distance to stop safely if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows or stops, and to increase it in rain and other bad weather. It gives no figure. Traffic police turn that into a simple count, which works at any speed because the gap grows as you go faster:
- Chandigarh Traffic Police: at least 2 seconds, more in bad weather or traffic.
- Kolkata Traffic Police: 2 seconds, rising to a 4 or 5-second count when the road or weather is poor.
- Hyderabad Traffic Police: 3 seconds, longer in rain, fog, at night, in heavy traffic and on bad roads.
Counting to 3 covers all of them on a dry road. Behind a lorry or bus, drop back further: Chandigarh police note that a large vehicle blocks your view of the road ahead.
YouCheckSafe gap
- Pick a fixed marker ahead: a pole, sign or tree
- When the back of the vehicle ahead passes it, count "one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three"
- Did you finish counting before your front reached the marker?No: drop back and count again
- Gap is safe. Double it in rain, fog or at night
See the gap in action
Watch the grey vehicle ahead. When its back passes the pole, start counting.
The animation runs only in your browser. Distances are simple arithmetic: speed in km/h ÷ 3.6 = metres travelled each second.
How many metres a time gap gives you (speed in km/h ÷ 3.6 = metres each second):
- 40 km/h: about 22 m for 2 seconds, 33 m for 3 seconds
- 60 km/h: about 33 m for 2 seconds, 50 m for 3 seconds
- 80 km/h: about 44 m for 2 seconds, 67 m for 3 seconds
- 100 km/h: about 56 m for 2 seconds, 83 m for 3 seconds
Chandigarh Traffic Police give typical total stopping distances (thinking time plus braking): about 22 m at 40 km/h, 42 m at 60 km/h and 88 m at 90 km/h. Stopping distance roughly doubles from 60 to 90 km/h, and it is longer still on a wet road, with a heavy load or worn tyres and brakes. That is why the gap must grow in bad conditions.
When someone follows you closely, don't brake suddenly without a compelling reason (reg. 17). Brake early and gently so they see your brake lights.
How do you drive safely at night?
- Lights on from nightfall to dawn, and keep them working (reg. 31). Never drive on parking lights alone.
- Dip your headlights in good time for an oncoming vehicle, and don't use high beam on well-lit roads or for long (reg. 31(3), 31(4)).
- Don't outrun your headlights. Drive at a speed at which you can stop within the area they light up. Keep the lamps clean and correctly aimed (Kolkata Traffic Police).
- Dim the dashboard lights and avoid interior lights, so your eyes stay used to the dark.
- Follow the white edge and centre lines as guides. Signs are harder to see at night, so slow down where you don't know the road.
- Don't stop on the carriageway. If you break down, switch on the hazard lights and place the warning triangles 50 m behind (reg. 28).
- Leave a longer gap: Hyderabad police list night driving as a reason to increase the 3-second gap.
Late-night driving also brings tiredness; see tiredness and long trips.
How do you drive in rain, fog and strong wind?
The rule for all bad weather is the same: in fog, rain, snow or a storm, drive at a speed that lets you stop within the distance you can see (reg. 16(2)).
Driving in rain
- The first light rain is the most slippery: water mixes with dust, oil and leaves on the road (Kolkata Traffic Police). Slow down and increase your gap.
- Take extra care on curves and turns, and brake gently and early.
- Switch on your headlights whenever the wipers are on, not just the parking lights.
- In heavy rain, tyres can ride on a film of water and lose grip (aquaplaning). Slow down to prevent it. If the car starts to slide, ease off the accelerator and steer gently.
- Don't drive into fast-rising flood water. Goa's Fire and Emergency Services advise: if your car stalls in rapidly rising water, leave it and get to higher ground, then call for help (112, or the fire service on 101).
Driving in fog
- Kolkata Traffic Police say the best choice is not to drive in fog. If you must, leave plenty of time.
- Use dipped headlights. High beam reflects off fog and makes it harder to see.
- Use fog lamps only when visibility is badly reduced, and together with dipped headlights (reg. 31(5)).
- Slow down further when you see lights ahead: the vehicle may be stopped or barely moving.
- Signal well before you turn and brake early, so the driver behind is warned.
- If the fog is very dense, pull right off the road to a safe place and wait.
Driving in strong wind
- Reduce speed. Gusts push lorries, buses and two-wheelers most, so give them extra room.
- Hold the steering firmly in open stretches and on bridges.
- Strong wind often comes with heavy rain: watch for wet and slippery patches (Kolkata Traffic Police).
Hill roads add landslides, falling rocks and steep descents to the weather; see hill and ghat driving.
How do you avoid driving tired?
Kolkata Traffic Police call drowsiness, or "highway hypnosis", one of the greatest hazards of road driving. Hyderabad police are blunt: do not drive when tired or sleepy; rest before starting a journey. Delhi Traffic Police tell drivers to make sure they are not feeling sleepy or giddy before setting off.
- Start a long trip well rested.
- On the way, stop often to stretch, have a drink or take a short nap.
- Keep your eyes moving: read the road signs and shift your focus between near and far.
- Alcohol and drugs make it worse, and are against the law. See drink driving.
YouCheckSafe to go
- You notice you are getting sleepy or losing focus
- Signal and pull off at the next safe place, away from the carriageway
- Rest: stretch, have a drink, or take a short nap
- Fully alert again?No: rest longer
- Drive on, and plan the next stop
How do you stay safe on a two-wheeler?
Two-wheelers were 44.5% of road accident deaths in India in 2022, according to Ministry of Road Transport and Highways data cited by the Press Information Bureau. Most of the protection comes from the helmet and from being seen.
Rider and adult pillion
- Everyone driving or riding on a motorcycle in a public place wears protective headgear meeting BIS standards (Motor Vehicles Act, section 129). A Sikh wearing a turban is exempt, and states may make other exceptions.
- Buy a helmet certified to IS 4151:2015. The government warns that substandard helmets are sold with fake ISI marks: the BIS Care app shows whether the manufacturer holds a BIS licence.
- Fasten the chin strap every time: a helmet must stay on when you fall.
- Ride with the dipped headlight on in the daytime too (reg. 31(1)).
- Keep both hands on the handlebar, except to signal, and don't hold on to or push another vehicle (reg. 5(16), 5(17)).
- Stay out of other drivers' blind spots, especially beside lorries and buses, and keep the same 2 to 3-second gap as a car.
- Filtering between cars is allowed only on city roads with a 40 km/h limit, where signs allow it, and with a speed difference of no more than 15 km/h (reg. 33).
Carrying a child under 4
- A child below four years riding or carried on a motorcycle needs a safety harness and a crash helmet.
- The motorcycle must not go faster than 40 km/h.
- These rules were notified on 15 February 2022 and came into force one year after publication.
What is different about driving an electric vehicle?
The road rules are the same for an EV. Three things are worth knowing:
Regenerative braking
In a battery electric vehicle, when you brake or slow down, the motor works as a generator and sends power back to the battery (NITI Aayog's e-AMRIT portal). Because of this, an EV can slow down noticeably as soon as you lift your foot off the accelerator. Get used to how your vehicle behaves before driving in traffic, keep your full following gap, and brake normally when you need to stop: the gap rules above still apply.
Battery safety standards
After fires in electric vehicles, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways tightened the battery safety standards AIS-156 and AIS-038 (Rev 2), in two phases from 1 December 2022 and 31 March 2023, and set a type-approval process for traction battery parts (G.S.R. 888(E), 19 December 2022). The Bureau of Energy Efficiency notes that ARAI and ICAT certify EVs and chargers for safety. Buy vehicles and chargers that are type-approved, and get battery faults checked by an authorised service centre.
If an EV smokes or catches fire
Treat it like any vehicle fire, and don't try to fight it yourself:
YouDangerFire service
- Smoke, a burning smell or flames from the vehicle
- Pull off the road and switch the vehicle off
- Get everyone out and move well away; don't go back for belongings
- Call 112 or the fire service on 101 and keep others away
This is general advice from Kolkata Traffic Police for a vehicle fire; follow what the fire service tells you. Running costs are compared in petrol vs EV.
What should you do when something goes wrong?
Kolkata Traffic Police give this advice for the most common failures. In every case, once you are stopped: hazard lights on, everyone off the carriageway, and warning triangles 50 m behind (or before the bend) for vehicles with more than two wheels (reg. 28).
Tyre burst
- A thumping sound can warn of a blowout.
- Ease off the accelerator and hold the steering firmly. Don't brake hard.
- Let the vehicle slow, then pull off the road safely and check the tyres.
Brakes fail
- If the pedal sinks to the floor, pump it to build pressure.
- If that fails, use the parking brake gently and change to a lower gear to slow down.
- Warn others with the horn and lights, and steer for a safe place to stop.
Accelerator stuck
- Try to free the pedal with your toe.
- If it stays stuck, shift to neutral and brake gently to a stop.
- Keep the ignition on if you have power steering, so you can still steer.
Headlights fail at night
- Try the hazard lights, parking lights and indicators so you can be seen.
- Pull off the road. If the lights are only dimming, drive slowly to a service station or stop and get help.
If there has been a crash, follow what to do after a road accident: call 112, help the injured, and report it.
Practise hazards safely in the driving simulator.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2-second or 3-second rule the law in India?
No. Regulation 17 of the Driving Regulations, 2017 only says to keep enough distance to stop safely and more in bad weather. The 2 and 3-second counts are the way traffic police (Chandigarh, Kolkata, Hyderabad) teach drivers to judge that distance.
How do I measure a 2-second gap?
Pick a fixed marker. When the back of the vehicle ahead passes it, count "one thousand one, one thousand two". If you reach the marker before you finish, you are too close.
How much gap in rain or fog?
At least double. Kolkata police advise a 4 or 5-second count in poor road or weather conditions, and the law says to drive slowly enough to stop within the distance you can see.
Should I use high beam in fog?
No. Use dipped headlights, and fog lamps only when visibility is badly reduced.
When should I dip my headlights?
In good time for an oncoming vehicle, and on well-lit roads. High beam must not be used inappropriately or for long.
What helmet should I buy?
One certified by BIS to IS 4151:2015. Check the manufacturer's licence on the BIS Care app, because fake ISI marks exist.
Can I carry a small child on a motorcycle?
A child under 4 needs a safety harness and a crash helmet, and the motorcycle must stay at or below 40 km/h.
Why does my EV slow down when I lift off the accelerator?
Regenerative braking: the motor acts as a generator and recharges the battery as the vehicle slows.
What number do I call for a vehicle fire?
112 for any emergency, or the fire service on 101.
Sources
- Motor Vehicles (Driving) Regulations, 2017 (G.S.R. 634(E)), as reproduced in Kerala Police circular 15/2018: regs. 5, 16, 17, 23, 28, 31, 33 and 37 (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Chandigarh Traffic Police – safe distance: 2-second rule and stopping distances (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Kolkata Traffic Police – driving tips: 2-second rule, fog, rain, night, high winds, highway hypnosis, equipment failure, vehicle fire (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Hyderabad Traffic Police – defensive driving: 3-second rule, mirrors, escape route, fatigue (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Delhi Traffic Police – rules of safe car driving (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, Chapter VIII (Ministry of Road Transport and Highways): section 129 – protective headgear (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- PIB – use only BIS-certified helmets (5 Jul 2025) and PIB – Choose Smart. Ride Safe. Use BIS-Certified Helmets (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- PIB – safety of children below four years on motorcycles (Feb 2022) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- NITI Aayog e-AMRIT – types of electric vehicles: regenerative braking (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Bureau of Energy Efficiency, EV Yatra – FAQ (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- PIB – amendments to EV battery standards AIS-156 and AIS-038 (Rev 2) (27 Sep 2022) and PIB – study on running vehicles catching fire (24 Jul 2024) (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
- Goa Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services – citizen's handbook on fire safety and disaster preparedness and Delhi Fire Service – do's and don'ts (accessed 26 Oct 2026)
Page history: 26 Oct 2026: first published.