We all travel on roads. Yet only a few people understand the importance of lane discipline while driving in Dubai. Road lanes are one of the most effective measures for ensuring that traffic flows. Following lane discipline, while driving is necessary for the safety of your passengers and the rental car itself. This article will discuss why following lane discipline is so significant for all drivers.
What is Lane Discipline?
Which lane you are driving in determines your lane discipline. You must be in the correct lane for your destination. You should keep a decent road position to maintain strong lane discipline. It is also a good idea to avoid changing lanes unless required.
Which Lane to Use?
You may have always considered the left and right lanes to be slow and fast. If that is the case, get it out of your head as soon as possible! The left lane is the default lane, which you should always use unless you are turning right or there is road signage indicating otherwise. In the right-hand lane, you should overtake and turn right.
Importance of Lane Discipline When Driving
One of the most important regulations to remember, along with wearing your seat belts, is to stay in your lane. Here are a few reasons why you should always adhere to lane discipline:
1. Keeps You Within The Speed Limit
When driving on a highway, you will notice that different lanes have varied speed limits. The lanes in the road create separate traffic into two broad groups: high-speed cars and slow-moving vehicles.
The left lane of the road is for overtaking vehicles to cut any confusion for other commuters. It also helps drivers expect vehicles arriving from the right side of the road to overtake them. The leftmost lanes are also open to slow-moving or big trucks. For this, truckers stay in the left-most lanes; cars play in the middle path, and passing vehicles cross from the right lane on a six-lane highway. The establishment of speed limits on the road improves traffic flow and makes everyone safer. Fast-moving cars must stay in their lane to maintain their speed. If one type of vehicle attempts to join the path of the other, it will not slow traffic and may also generate a traffic jam. As a result, all cars must adhere to lane discipline to maintain a smooth flow of traffic.
2. Reduces the Possibility of an Accident
Following lane discipline, while driving is significant to reduce the risk of accidents. Vehicles that travel in preferable lanes have a lower likelihood of colliding with another one for some reason. If a driver switches lanes while driving, the chances of getting involved in an accident grow. It makes the driver behind them confused about their next move and puts them in danger of colliding with them. You can avoid this by maintaining lane discipline and only changing lanes when necessary.
Lane-disciplined vehicles adhere to the lane’s speed limit. Vehicles traveling in different lanes maintain safe parallel spacing. It can serve as a great buffer if one swerves owing to an obstacle or a pothole in front of it. A parallel distance exists between two vehicles in opposite lanes when they are traveling in their lane, which is crucial for road safety and avoiding traffic fines in Dubai. This distance is helpful if a driver loses control of their car and needs to recover before an accident occurs.
3. Reduces Congestion
One of the significant reasons for road congestion is the disorganization of traffic. Following lane, discipline is the best strategy to guarantee a smooth flow of traffic on the road. Lanes aid in traffic organization and the prevention of congestion at several important places.
If a vehicle attempts to travel between the lanes, the smooth flow gets disrupted. It generates an unnecessary traffic bottleneck. You can avoid this by adhering to lane discipline from the beginning. It all starts with one vehicle violating lane discipline, and then traffic congestion ensues. For many people, a single vehicle out of place might result in a significant waste of time. So, giving importance to lane discipline when driving can discourage driving. It can also keep the traffic more ordered and predictable.
4. Eases Emergency Movement
You have noticed that there’s always room for one extra vehicle to pass between two lines of traffic. Apart from safety concerns, this gap intends to allow emergency vehicles. Ambulances, police cars, and VVIP cavalcades can pass through in the event of a traffic jam. The spacing between two lanes gives a safe margin for emergency vehicles to traverse between the lanes. Even if you maintain enough lane discipline during a traffic jam, all emergency vehicles can pass between the two lanes. It can differentiate the difference between life and death for someone. A lane devoted to emergency vehicles exists on some roadways. The emergency vehicle can proceed over there if there are no unlawful vehicles in that lane. Then, it might have to slow down and follow the car in front of it if this does not happen. One can avoid this if the vehicles stay in their designated lanes.
5. Ensure a smooth flow of traffic
The majority of city roadways have two or three lanes in each direction. Motorists who want to turn right on a three-lane road should be in the right lane. Straight-ahead drivers should be in the center lane, while left-hand drivers should always be in the left lane. This methodical layout may help vehicles to move more on roadways and at intersections.
For a smoother traffic flow, lane discipline is essential while driving. Each car could go without applying brakes every few seconds if they stayed inside their speed restriction lane. A vehicle that does not intend to turn but is present in the turning lane can obstruct traffic flow. One of the most sacrosanct regulations of the road is lane discipline. For these reasons, you must drive within your designated lanes to avoid any problematic situations. Lane discipline while driving is as significant as wearing a helmet or seat belt.
