Chapter: 09. Safety On The Road
Safety on the Road
This chapter is all about keeping ourselves safe when we are outside, especially on roads. Roads can be busy places with lots of vehicles, so it’s super important to know and follow safety rules!
What You’ll Learn in This Chapter
In this exciting chapter, you will learn all about:
Safety Rules: Important rules to follow when you are on the road, whether you are walking, cycling, or riding in a car. First Aid: What first aid is, and why it’s so important to know. First Aid Tips: Simple steps you can take to help someone who gets a small injury. First Aid Box: What a first aid box is, what goes inside it, and how you can even make one at home!
Important Words to Know
To understand this chapter better, let’s learn some important words:
Safety Rules: These are guidelines or instructions that help you stay safe and avoid danger. First Aid Box: A special container filled with basic medical supplies to help with minor injuries. First Aid: The immediate help given to an injured person before a doctor arrives. Traffic Signs: Symbols and messages placed on the road to guide drivers and pedestrians and ensure safety.
Why Road Safety is Important
Every day, when you read newspapers, you might hear about accidents, some of which can be very serious or even fatal (causing death). Roads are always busy with many different types of vehicles like cars, buses, taxis, and trucks. Because of this constant activity, it is super important for us to be careful! Whether you are walking (as a pedestrian) or using any other way to travel, always remember to follow safety rules to protect yourself and others.
Fatal: This word means causing death. Pedestrian: This is a person who is walking instead of riding in a vehicle.
Safety Rules for Everyone
Here are some very important safety rules that everyone must follow when on or near the road:
Only cross the road at a zebra crossing. Wait for the pedestrian traffic light to turn green. If available, use a subway (underground passage) or an overhead bridge to cross.
Zebra Crossing Playing on the Road: Never run or play on the road. Roads are for vehicles, not for games. Always walk on the footpath (sidewalk). If there is no footpath, walk on the right side of the road. This way, you can easily see the vehicles coming towards you. Never try to get into or out of a vehicle while it is moving. Always wait for it to stop completely. Do not put your head or hands out of a moving vehicle. You could get seriously hurt! Do not stand right behind a parked vehicle in a parking lot. It might start moving suddenly. Seat Belts: Always wear a safety belt (seatbelt) when you are traveling in a car. Traffic Signals and Rules: Always pay attention to and follow all traffic signals and traffic rules. They are there to keep you safe! Helmets: If you are riding a bicycle, a scooter, or a motorcycle, always wear a helmet. Traffic Lights
You have probably seen traffic lights on the road. They are very important for controlling the flow of traffic and keeping everyone safe. Each color has a special meaning:
Red Light: Means ‘STOP’. All vehicles and pedestrians must stop. Yellow Light: Means ‘WAIT and look’. It signals that the light is about to change to green. Green Light: Means ‘GO’. Vehicles and pedestrians can proceed safely. Following traffic lights helps to keep us safe and makes sure that traffic moves smoothly without crashes.
Understanding Traffic Symbols
Besides traffic lights, there are many traffic signs on the road. These signs use symbols and pictures to tell us important information quickly. Here are some common traffic signs you might see:
No Horn: This sign means you are not allowed to use your vehicle’s horn in this area.
No U-Turn: This sign tells drivers that they cannot make a U-turn (turning completely around to go in the opposite direction).
No Parking / No Stopping: The specific image shown might imply “No Stopping” or “No Parking” depending on the context, but the source describes it as ‘No F’. A more typical sign for ‘No Parking’ is a red circle with a diagonal slash and an ‘P’. The source seems to have an error here or it’s a unique local sign. We’ll interpret it as a general prohibition sign given the ‘F’ is likely a placeholder or specific local code.
No Right Turn: This sign indicates that turning right is not allowed at this intersection.
No Entry: This sign means no vehicles are allowed to enter the road from this point.
Bumps Ahead: This triangular sign warns drivers that there are bumps or unevenness on the road ahead. (Note: The image assets/09._Safety_on_the_Road_img_9.jpeg is actually ‘No Entry’. The image for ‘Bumps Ahead’ is assets/09._Safety_on_the_Road_img_7.jpeg with a ‘Bumps ahead’ caption, or similar, it’s a bit mixed in the source. I’ll describe based on typical signs and the intent.) Correction for ‘Bumps Ahead’: The image provided for “Bumps Ahead” is assets/09._Safety_on_the_Road_img_7.jpeg but it is labelled “No F” in the source. I will assume the source’s intent and describe common signs. Given the source text provided, it states assets/09._Safety_on_the_Road_img_7.jpeg is “Bumps ahead” and assets/09._Safety_on_the_Road_img_9.jpeg is “No right”. I will follow the source’s image-to-text mapping directly, even if the images themselves are unusual or mismatched from common signs. assets/09._Safety_on_the_Road_img_7.jpeg: Bumps Ahead (Source text says “No F” but image is described with “Bumps ahead” in other context, I will follow the explicit pairing in the list from the source) assets/09._Safety_on_the_Road_img_9.jpeg: No Right Turn (Source says “No right”) School Ahead: This sign warns drivers that there is a school nearby, meaning they should drive slowly and be extra careful for children.
Men at Work: This sign indicates that there are construction workers or road maintenance happening ahead, so drivers should proceed with caution.
Use Zebra Crossing: This sign reminds pedestrians to cross the road only at designated zebra crossings.
No Pedestrians Allowed: This sign means that pedestrians are not allowed to walk in this specific area, perhaps because it’s dangerous or a high-traffic zone.
(This image is for first aid kit, not for ‘No pedestrian allowed’. The image for ‘No pedestrian allowed’ is assets/09._Safety_on_the_Road_img_12.jpeg. I will ensure the correct image is linked.) Correction: The image assets/09._Safety_on_the_Road_img_12.jpeg is labelled “use zebra crossing” and the image assets/09._Safety_on_the_Road_img_13.jpeg is the first aid kit. The text for “No pedestrian allowed” had no specific image provided in the list for it. I will link assets/09._Safety_on_the_Road_img_12.jpeg to “Use Zebra Crossing” as per source, and note that “No Pedestrian Allowed” description has no image provided in the original list. Let’s re-list the traffic symbols as per the source’s text and image pairings carefully:
First Aid: Helping When Someone Gets Hurt
First aid is the immediate help given to an injured person right after they get hurt, and before a doctor or professional medical help arrives. If someone isn’t badly hurt, basic first aid can really make a difference. This is why it’s a great idea to always have a first aid box at home.
FactPedia!
Did you know that the idea of first aid was started by the St John Ambulance Association in the United Kingdom back in the 1870s?
A first aid box holds the basic things you need to clean small wounds, put on bandages, and treat minor burns. Here are some important items you should have in your first aid box at home:
A crepe bandage: This is a stretchy bandage used to support sprains or hold dressings in place. A thermometer: Used to check body temperature if someone has a fever. Medicated tape: Special tape to hold dressings or small bandages in place. A small roll of sterilized gauze and cotton pads: Gauze and cotton are used to clean wounds or cover them. “Sterilized” means they are very clean and free from germs. Cream for minor burns: A special cream to soothe and help heal small burns. An antiseptic lotion: Used to clean wounds and prevent infection. An antiseptic cream: Applied on small cuts and wounds to kill germs and help them heal. Some First Aid Tips
If someone near you gets hurt, remember these important first aid tips to help them:
Don’t Crowd: Do not gather too closely around the injured person. Give them space and allow air to circulate. Wash Your Hands: Always wash your hands very well before touching the injured person or their wound. This stops germs from your hands from getting into their wound. Clean the Wound: Gently wash the wound. Then, carefully apply antiseptic cream or lotion to help prevent infection. If the cut is deep, tie a clean bandage around it. For a small cut, you can use medicated tape or a plaster. If the person is bleeding, wash the cut or wound with clean water to remove any dirt. Apply a little antiseptic cream on some cotton wool. Place the cotton wool directly over the wound and then bandage the area firmly. In case of a burn, immediately place the affected area under cool, running water. After cooling it, gently put some burn-treatment cream on the area. Insect Stings: If someone is stung by an insect, wash the affected area with lime water (or soap and water, then apply a cold compress). Stay Calm: It’s really important not to panic when you are giving first aid. Keep yourself calm, and try to help the injured person stay calm too. Wait for Adult/Doctor: Let the person rest and relax until an adult or a doctor arrives to help them further. FactPedia!
The Star of Life sign is a special emergency medical symbol. You can see it used all over the world to represent medical services like ambulances and hospitals.
Emergency Numbers
In case of a serious emergency where you need immediate help, it’s very important to know these phone numbers:
Police: 100 (for crimes, theft, or serious public disturbances) Fire: 101 (for fires or situations requiring fire brigade assistance) Ambulance: 102 (for medical emergencies where someone needs to go to a hospital) LPG helpline: 1906 (for issues related to cooking gas, like gas leaks)
Green Earth: Eco-Friendly Roads
It’s great to know that more and more “Green” roads are being built in India! These roads are made using a special method called cold mix technology. This technology helps to build roads in a way that is better for our environment, using less energy and resources compared to traditional methods.
Chapter Summary: In a Nutshell
Let’s quickly review the most important things we learned in this chapter about safety on the road:
It’s essential to be careful when you are walking (as a pedestrian) or when you are using any kind of vehicle or transport. Always remember and follow the safety rules when you are on the road, whether you are driving, riding, or walking. To stay safe, you must pay attention to and follow traffic signs and symbols, and always be alert to your surroundings. First aid is the quick help given to someone who is injured, right before a doctor arrives to treat them. It’s a good idea to keep a first aid box at your home, filled with basic supplies for minor injuries. When you are giving first aid to someone, the most important thing is to stay calm and help the injured person to also stay calm.
Self Study
