Poor lane discipline among drivers is the main cause for traffic congestion in Bangalore city. Drivers tend to change lane happazerdly to save journey time. Many people drive in zig-zag manner to take advantage of little space available on road. At intersections drivers generally tend to swerve left or right and try to squeeze through when the traffic signal light turns green. This causes slower release of vehicle at intersection causing traffic congestion and long hold up.
In Bangalore city, it is said that two wheeler riders do not have any knowledge of road discipline. Many riders do not even spare foot paths to reach their destination in a great hurry. Little they know that, they are slowing down vehicle movement and also causing road accidents.
Good lane discipline is one of the key for smooth flow of traffic and safety on any given road. Lane discipline can be either direction oriented or speed oriented.
Direction oriented lane discipline:
Generally roads in Bangalore city have two or three lanes in each direction. On three lane roads the drivers who want to turn right should be on the right lane. Divers driving straight should be on the centre lane. Similarly divers who want to turn left should always be on the left lane. This systematic arrangement will allow faster movement of vehicles on road as well as at traffic junction. Busses should always be an the left lane as bus stops are located on the left side of the road. Buses taking a right turn at intersection should swerve to right from left lane at least 100 meters before the intersection.
In case of two lane roads, the extreme right lane should be for vehicles going straight or taking right turn at intersection. The left lane should be for vehicles taking left turn and going straight. At circles and rotaries, priority should be given to vehicles on the right.
Direction oriented lane discipline helps in faster release of vehicles at intersection and movement will be smooth.
Speed oriented lane discipline:
Speed oriented lane discipline should be mandatory for roads which have a significant length without intersection and especially highways. In this system, all slow moving vehicles like trucks, auto rickshaws and two wheelers should move an left lane and allow faster vehicles like cars and jeeps to move on the right lane. Change of lane is allowed only during over-taking. Slow moving vehicles should come back on the left lane after overtaking.
But in highways it is generally noticed that trucks drive slowly on the right lane forcing the other road users to overtake from left. Sometimes two parallel slow moving vehicles will slow down the entire traffic and create traffic jams.
Enforcement of lane discipline is one of the most difficult and challenging task for police, especially on highways. It requires large number of police personnel deployment to book violating drivers. Many at times booking of cases on the roads and highways result is traffic hold ups. Therefore along with booking cases, creating awareness and educating the road users should be done. Special lane discipline tests should be conducted during the issue and renewal of driving licences. Installation of surveillance cameras and challaning of drivers through automated challaning system is another method to enforce lane discipline. Apart from police and transport department officials, non-governmental organization should come forward to educate road users to make the roads safer and less congested.