My Sipani D1 Car Project

The Sipani - D1 Car Project

The Diesel Cars of the early 90’s in the hatchback segment

In the early 90’s there used to be shortage of good quality Diesel cars in the small car segment. Only 2 cars came with a diesel engine-one car was the good old Amby with a Trekker engine and the other was Premier Padmini ( a la Fiat 1100) with a V.M. Motori derived engine called 137 D. The new entrant in the market was Sipani Motors of Bangalore. Sipani Motors was assembling Rover Montego cars apart from manufacturing Sipani-D1 cars. These Sipani cars bodyshell was derived from Daihatsu charade and the Diesel engine was borrowed from Autoland engines. The engine was made in India under the collaboration from British Leyland. This engine was primarily used in Tractors and Trawlers (Boats) in those days.

About Sipani Motors

Sipani Motors started its life by manufacturing 3 wheelers with glass fibre body car called Badal and was primarily sold only in Bangalore. In the early 80’s they went into collaboration with a British company called Reliant motors. The car they made was the ‘Reliant kitten’ and in India it was called “Dolphin”. This particular car was a Fibre bodied model with 2 doors, and had an 850cc petrol engine. It weighed only 530 kgs. The whole engine and gear box was made in aluminum and the differential crown was in aluminum too. It had a tremendous power to weight ration advantage. It gave good mileage plus it was very peppy. This car was the undisputed king in the small car category (850cc) & dominated the Sholavaram races, with many races won by Mr. Jayaram of Coimbatore and Dr Saboo of Chennai. It also won many rallies, particularly the South India rally and the Karnataka rally in the hands of Vicky Chandhok (father of Karun Chandhok – former F1 Indian driver).

‘Dolphin’ was primarily a 2 door car, so Sipani modified the car to a 4 door configuration called ‘Montana’. This car sold more numbers than Dolphin, so they went slightly upmarket by manufacturing the Sipani-D1.The car’s body was derived from ‘Daihatsu Charade’ with the engine from Autoland and a slightly modified gearbox from Dolphin cars.

Advantage of these cars:

1. Great looks in those days.

2. Peppy engine.

3. Rust proof FRP body panels.

4. Wider body and more leg room than the present day Tata Indica.

My experience with this car

I bought this car during the 90’s and used it. When it had covered a little more than 10,000kms of running, it started giving one problem after the other. The engineer in me started thinking of sorting out the problem. Since this car came with a chassis and a bolt on body and a with North South engine configuration, it is easy to modify.

The various issues that I tackled- and won!

1^st issue- Gear box: The first main problem was the gearbox. Although, there was nothing specifically wrong with the gear box, it was not meant for the 1500cc Diesel engine. So it kept failing frequently. In those days the straight swap was the Amby Gearbox. There was no major modification needed, because the bell housing was the same. The only modification needed was the gear lever to be converted from column shift to floor shift. Since it was popularly assumed that the Amby’s trekker engine was a copy of Autoland engine, (which is a British Leyland engine) most of the parts were the same for both the engines. This gearbox was not an all synchromesh Gearbox as the original gear box of the Sipani and hence it was arm wrenching to change the gears. Any way the gearbox was changed to an Amby. gearbox.

2^nd issue- Brakes:  Braking was another issue with this car. Once while I was driving, I banged my car into the car in front, due to poor braking efficiency. I ended up repairing both cars. I had to change the bumper, radiator, A/c condenser etc. I knew from experience that the car used a Maruti 800 front and rear brake cylinder assembly. So I started to hunt for something in the Maruti range. I got a Maruti Esteem Master cylinder with brake booster assembly. I had to alter the lines to suit the new Master cylinder assembly.

                      The next hurdle I faced was getting the vacuum from the engine. I tried getting vacuum from the suction manifold of the engine, but it was not enough. Next, I tried fitting an extra vacuum pump, but it was not possible, since there was no provision on the engine block. To solve this issue I bought an Alternator with vacuum pump assy (Tata Sierra unit).To get the vacuum pump running I needed to get an oil line, and luckily I found a dummy in the engine block from which I found oil supply to the alternator. For the return line I could not drain it in the crankcase since it was flooding faster, so the return line was rerouted to the rocker assembly cover from where the oil drained back to the sump.

                    Now the brakes were working fine and it was way better than before. Now I could brake harder, unfortunately the extra brake torque broke my Lower ‘A” arm. Again I had to hunt in the market for an extra strong lower arm. But even then it was not enough, so I had to do some extra reinforcement to make stronger. After this modification, the brakes held perfectly well.

3^rdissue-Ride height:  When the car was marketed it came with Maruti 800  12” inch wheels. The ride height was very low and it was scrapping the speed breakers. When I checked for the PCD ( pitch circle dia) it was the same as Maruti Esteem , so I went for direct swap of 13” inch wheels from Maruti Esteem. I found that the wheels were fouling with the body, so I had to raise the suspension height to stop it from fouling. This sorted out the problem.

4^th issue- A/c Alteration: I fitted a Sanden A/c unit for the car. Unfortunately it was overheating the engine, so I had to make a custom made radiator which was of the 3 core layer type. I also added an electric fan for the a/c condenser unit.

5^th issue- H/L Alteration:  The original headlight was of poor quality and it was getting rusted. I replaced it with a Maruti Esteem headlight unit.

6^th isuue- the Gear box issue continues: Apart from the Gear box being very stubborn to change gears, the release bearing was getting worn out very fast-within 15,000kms. The simple reason being it was made of carbon type release bearing and not the latest roller bearing type. Every time you have to change this release bearing you would have to bring down the gear box from the engine and it was becoming a nuisance. Plus, it used to cost Rs 1500/- each time to do the job. I decided to change the gearbox with a 5 speed unit. I got a Contessa Isuzu 5 speed gearbox. The outside of the bell housing was fine, but the inside of the bell housing was fouling with the flywheel. We had to grind the Gear box casing a little bit but we couldn’t do more because the wall thickness might get affected, since it is made up of Aluminum. The next step was to shave of the flywheel and we shaved about 3 to 4 mm from the flywheel.

                      The next hurdle we faced was that the old ring gear could not be fixed. I had to hunt for a suitable ring gear and I found it in the form of the Matador F 307 engine Ring gear. Another problem was the old starter motor was not engaging with the new Ring Gear. The Matador starter was big and it was fouling with the Engine block. Then we found another match in an Isuzu starter motor. We had to alter the Engine block back plate for all the components to be aligned properly. Now this job was completed properly.

7^th issue-Propellershaft: The old propeller could not be used for 2 reasons. 1^st issue was it was longer. 2^nd issue was the new one was a free floating type and coupled only in the differential side. I got hold of a Contessa propeller and sliced it to fit the length. The mounting points were all altered to fit the new unit. The car was ready for a trial run.

8^th issue-Speedometer: The car was peppy to drive and the vibrations in the car also were considerably reduced. We encountered one more problem in the speedometer. The speedo needle was lazy to climb and we found the reason to be the difference in the differential ratio, even though both Contessa & Sipani –D1 were  running on 13 inch wheels.  After many trials and errors, we found the approximate difference. We took the car to the meter shop and again after lot of trial and error we more or less found a correct match. We had to order a specifically made Speedo cable for this operation. We found the car was peppy and it gave a decent mileage of 14 km/Ltr inside city and 18 to 19Km/Ltr outside city limits.

9^th issue-Electricals: After all these modifications, we found that the car’s electricals were pathetic. We had to completely rewire the car and install a 100 AH battery, since the Alternator was of the Tata Sierra type.

Car Display

We found the car was working perfectly, so we decided to take the car to the factory in Hosur. The management was happy to see these kinds of modifications in the car. Unfortunately the company had shifted their priorities. They were now more interested in making ‘Rover Montego Cars’. They were also busy preparing for the launch of their new vehicle called ‘Arjun’, which is still plying in many parts of rural India with a Single cylinder Greaves Lambardini Diesel Engine.

Conclusion

 I drove this car for around 77,000kms during the 5 years when it belonged to me. Then I sold it for Rs. 72,000/-. I really enjoyed altering the car. Some people might question whether it was worth it all. In my opinion this car allowed me to test my skills to the max and to test the maximum extent of technical boundaries that I could push in that period of time (late 90’s). In some areas I had to take lot of risk during the project, if there was any miscalculation during the project the whole car would have become a scrap.

  Any way I had a good time with that car!

My sincere thanks to the people who helped me in the project:

1. Mr. Krishnamurthy

2. Mr. Gisulal

3. Mr. Raja

4. Mr. Rocky

5. Mr. Jamsheed

4. M/s Amman Auto Works, Chennai

5 .M/s Annai Lathe Works, Chennai

6. M/s Angel Meter Works, Chennai

7. M/s J. J. Auto Spares, Chennai

Top 10 Precautions to be taken during Wet Weather Driving

              Top 10 Precautions to be taken during Wet Weather Driving

    1.  The first thing to keep in mind before the wet season starts is to check your brakes, especially if it is grabby or hard or if you experience delayed braking or any other faults. Get your brakes serviced with a trusted mechanic.

Common faults to be aware of
a. Pedal going inside: Replace Master cylinder.
b.Grabby feel (inconsistent braking) : Overhaul front caliper assembly & replace your rear wheel cylinders.
c. Pedal staying on top: check your Power brake booster & Vacuum lines.

2.     Get your wiper blades changed. Old wiper blades tend to cause & smears in glass during wet weather, reducing visibility. If you are confronted with reduced visibility due to heavy downpour and/or because of a broken down wiper, a layman’s solution is to wipe your windscreen using dried tobacco leaves. It will reduce the rain droplets remaining on the windscreen. (Available in all petty shops throughout India).

3.     During wet weather driving, smooth driving should be the top priority. Avoid hard moves such as sudden braking, acceleration and turning sharply.

4.     Give more space to the vehicle in front than you usually do in normal dry weather. It gives additional space for braking. The stopping distance will increase while braking in the wet.

5.     Always brake gently and do not brake harshly.

6.     When you are driving in lightly flooded roads (water level coming up to brake drum level or ankle level). When you come out of the flooded water, always tap your brakes and dry it before trying any emergency stopping. (Keep your foot on the brake lightly without stopping, left foot on the brakes & right foot on the accelerator).

7.     When the flooded water is up to bumper level (Knee height) think twice before driving in these roads. If it is absolutely essential to drive in such conditions, make sure that water does not enter your exhaust tail pipe. If the water enters the tail pipe the engine will stall & stop.
           An important trick is to keep the engine RPM steady. To get this thing done, select 2^nd gear and slowly enter the flooded road (Make sure water level does not go above bumper level). Always control your Car/SUV speed through the Clutch & not via Accelerator (Applicable only in flooded roads/wet weather). Keep the engine RPM @ 200 to 300 rpm above engine idle speed & hold the accelerator steady. Do not take your foot of the accelerator at any cost. Control your speed through clutch and hand brake.

8.     When the water level is above bumper level (Think 10 times before entering the water). Chances of water getting into electrical components is more, hence leading to more chance of a breakdown.

a. Petrol cars:  Chances of water getting sprayed into electrical system, spark plug, ECU’s etc., is more. Even if you drive carefully chances of stalling the engine is high.

b. Diesel cars: See to that water level does not get above intake manifold, exhaust manifold, Alternator, Electrical fans and ECU’s etc.

9.  Causeways/ culverts: Do not enter such unknown waters. Even if you see some buses or trucks crossing the channel do not attempt to cross it. Remember your family is more important than crossing such wild waters (flash floods).


10.  Here’s what to do if you have been forced to drive in flood water. Start your car the next day and drive it to dry out the brakes. Remove any remaining water in the clutch casing. Take your vehicle to the mechanic and check your engine oil, Gear box & Differential for water mixing in the oil. If you find any trace of water in any of these areas, immediately drain the oil &replace it with fresh oil. Check your alternator & starter for water ingress.
       As far as water entering the cabin and soaking up the carpet. Keep the car in sunlight & open your windows and doors. Allow it to dry thoroughly otherwise you will get a stale smell in the car/ SUV.

Have a safe journey!

 photo courtesy: www.commons.wikimedia.org

Top 10 Hill Driving Techniques

Top 10 Hill Driving Techniques

(Especially applicable to the Indian Ghat sections)

The driving etiquette of the hills is to always give preference to upcoming vehicles.

1.     Precautions to be taken for both the vehicle & the driver before  going on a hill trip.

o   Always check the vehicle’s brakes before on going on hill journey.

o   Check your vehicle for overheating issues and if present make sure that you get your radiator overhauled.

o   Check your vehicle’s electricals and if there is an issue, ensure that it is sorted out. (Cars/SUV’s equipped with electric fan and its circuit).

o   Remember to change your wiper blades before starting. (Old wiper blades, which turn hard with time, can cause smudge marks or scratches, thereby reducing visibility- a priority in hill driving).

o   See to it that your vehicle is equipped with good footwear (Tyres with good buttons).

o   Take good rest before starting on a journey.

o   In case you feel sleepy on the way, stop for a short nap to refresh yourself.

o   Take a break after every 1 ½  hours to 2 hours  of continuous driving. If drowsy have a cup of tea.

o   Stretch yours arms and legs while taking a break.

o   Know both your vehicles strength, and your strength and capabilities, before starting on a journey. Do not push your vehicle or yourself beyond that point.

o   In case you find yourself frequently yawning, it either signifies fatigue or an excessive buildup of Carbon Monoxide. In case of the later, open your windows and let fresh air in for 10 minutes. If you still continue to yawn, stop your vehicle immediately.

2.     When you are starting your climb always go in a steady speed and preferably use the 2^nd or 3^rd gear depending on the slope.

3.     Remember to always follow the hill rule of giving way to vehicles which are climbing uphill. People who drive on the hills regularly always follow this rule. (If a vehicle stops with the intention to let you pass, give a honk- it means ‘thank you’ in hill driving language)

4.     Try to avoid using the A/C while climbing uphill. This prevents overheating issues & additional power is also available from the engine for climbing. (You further benefit from the fresh mountain air).

5.     When you stop your vehicle while climbing always use the handbrake. Remember to put your vehicle on some gear if you are shutting down the engine especially if it is manual transmission. Keep a stone or a wooden block behind the rear tyre, which prevents the vehicle from moving backwards. (For Auto transmission put it in park mode).

6.     If you discover a burnt smell (the first sign of overheating), stop your vehicle immediately & pull over to the corner. Do not shut down the engine on any account. Just keep the engine running a little above idling speed and wait till the engine cools down. Wait till the temperature is within normal operating range before shutting down.

7.     In case your vehicle is boiling (if you see steam coming out of your vehicle), stop your vehicle & pull over to the corner of the road. Do not open the radiator cap immediately. Wait for the engine to cool down first. Hold a thick cloth in your hand & open the cap slowly. Do not open the cap immediately or take away your hand from it. Press down the cap tightly with your hand & slowly remove the excess pressure & steam from the system. Only after making sure that all the steam is gone, open the cap completely. Top up the water in the radiator as required.

8.     Always maintain a steady rhythm while driving. Do not make abrupt changes in direction or speed by sudden slowing, braking or accelerating. Keep to the left in countries where keep to the left rule is followed & never overspeed while climbing. The trick to hill driving is smooth driving. (Rash driving in the hills is also a contributing factor in motion sickness (vomiting). Sucking on a toffee or chewing on a piece of gum will provide some relief).

9.     Always honk while approaching a corner which warns the driver coming in the opposite direction.

10.   Get your vehicle fitted with real fog lamps (Dark yellow coloured ones).The idea behind using these specially coloured lights, is that it will penetrate the fog in the mountains. Ordinary lights which the manufacturers provide in their cars will not penetrate the fog.

(Remember in the mountains, if the temperature is right & if it starts raining fog will appear immediately)

Down hill driving:

1.     While coming down the hill always use the 2^nd gear for coming down. Even if it is too slow it does not matter. You will be using engine braking rather than regular brakes .Continuous usage of brakes will lead to overheating of the brakes.

(Remember safety of family comes first).

2.     Do not drive with your leg on the brakes all the time. This will lead to overheating of brakes and can lead to brake failure.

(Example: The Kalhatti Ghat section between Ooty and Mudumalai Wild Life Sanctuary is very steep. A police man is always seen standing there and warning all passing vehicles to use only the 2^nd gear while climbing down, but many do not follow it. This results in quite a lot of accidents happening in this section with brake failures being the main reason).

Bon Voyage! Enjoy your sojourn in the hills and be sure to leave your comments in the box below.

Top 10 Things to Check in your Car/SUV before you Start on a Road Trip.

Top 10 Things to Check in your Car/SUV before you Start on a Road Trip.

Before you start on a road trip it is always better that your motto should be to reach your destination safely rather than how fast you were able to make it.

With that out of the way, here are the top 10 things that require mandatory checking before you start:

1. General Condition: It is advisable to get your car serviced before you start on a journey. See that the service centre changes your engine oil, filters, air filters, fuel filters, spark plugs, etc.

Note: While water washing the engine compartment, do not use excess of water spray. New age vehicles include a lot of electrical wirings, and any excess water getting into it can cause unnecessary headaches in the midst of the journey.

2. Fan Belt: Change your fan belt if your car has done more than 20,000kms. This is a precaution worth its while. Also check your idlers for noise & roughness. If you feel that it is rough, change it.

Note: In the earlier generation cars, the engines were fitted in the North South direction (some of the present day SUV’s still follow this practise), and for such cars changing fan belt is easy. But present day cars including hatchbacks and most of the sedans (except Merc’s & BMW’s) use East West mounting of the engine (mounted along the width of the car). Hence changing belts in the middle of the highway can pose to be a difficulty. You can always keep the old belts as spare in your dickey.

3. Headlight Bulbs: The standard bulbs issued by most of the manufacturers are 55/60 watts bulb. Majority of us (90%) change it to a 90/100 watts bulb. This puts extra load on the battery / alternator etc. Most of the factory fitted bulb holders are made of plastic & this will melt over a period of time. Check if there is any damage to the bulb holder & change it to ceramic holders if it is damaged. It is always advisable to carry a spare set of bulbs in case of an emergency.

4. Tyres and tubes: The most ignored part of our car is the tyres. Actually tyres play an important part in the car as it gives traction and grip while accelerating, cruising and braking. Many of us think that if we can see the buttons on the tyres they are okay to drive.

Note: The tyres are normally good for 5 years from the date of manufacture. After that, if you observe carefully, you can spot minor cracks on the side wall. It does not matter even if your car has done minimal mileage leaving lots of buttons on the tyres. It is both advisable and safe to change your tyres. If your tyre is of the tubeless variety check for the trueness or wobble of the rim and for rusting. If you find any defect as mentioned, use tubes inside your tyre. If your tyre is of the tube type make sure you change your front tyre tube if it is more than 2 years old & always go for Butyl Tubes.

While changing tyres may burn a hole in your pocket, I always suggest a change of tyres in the interest of safety. This is because many of us drive above 100km/hr in 4 lane highways. Chances of blowout are more if it is an old tyre.

5. Wipers:  Always change your wiper blades if it is more than 1 year old, even if it looks good on the outside. Older blades generally get harder with age and can rub your glass harder and scratch it. New ones will be softer & provide much better cleaning of your windshield.

6. Brakes: Always check your brakes before you start on a journey. This is even more important if you are planning a journey to a hill station.

Listed below are a few conditions that indicate that your brakes are not fine.

a.     Hard brakes: Check your Brake booster if your car is equipped with one (or) check your wheel cylinder pistons which will be slow to move within the wheel cylinder. If is so, change your wheel cylinders in the rear. For front brakes overhaul the calliper kit assembly.

b.     Brake pedal going deep inside: Check your master cylinder and if found defective, change it.

c.      Vehicle taking more time to stop: If all the systems are fine and still the vehicle is taking more time to stop, the possible cause might be glazed brakes. In that case changes the brake shoes in the rear & brake pads for the front discs.

d.     Spongy brakes: Bleed the system & if it still doesn’t improve, flush the oil and put in new oil.

e.     Vehicle pulling to one side: When you hit the brakes if it pulls to one side check front brake hose for blockage & jammed front brakes. change if necessary.

 7.  Wheel Alignment:  Check your wheel alignment and get it aligned by a proper garage. Also balance all your wheels.

 Note: When you’re going on long journey, if do not align the wheels properly it can cause rapid chewing of your tyres. As far as balancing is concerned if is not balanced properly you will experience vibration in your steering wheel above 80 km/hr.

 8. Checking the Ball Joints:  Put your car in ramp or jack and move your wheels to and fro. If there is a side shake check your tie rod ends. If there is an up and down shake check your wheel bearing. If you hear a cut cut noise when you go over pot holes check your lower ball joint & anti roll bar bush.

9. Air:   If the distance covered is large please add an extra 2 pounds of air in your tyres.  This will prevent your tyres from getting punctured easily.

10. Batteries & Alternator:  In the past batteries used to come in hard rubber (Black containers) & they used to be heavy. The present generation batteries are normally called PP Batteries which stand for Plastic container batteries. Present generation batteries are use & throw variety and they cannot be repaired. Normally a good battery will last for 2 to 3 years. Check for voltage. It should not drop less than 10 volts when you are cranking the engine. Also check for swelling of the battery. If you find any of the symptoms, change the batteries.

Also check your charging system. Switch on electrical loads in the car & check the battery voltage when the engine is running .It should not drop below 13 volts when idling and not more than 14 volts when the engine is running on full RPM . When it shows low reading it will discharge your battery & going more will damage your battery. If you find any defect overhaul you alternator.

Bonus points:

a. Take all the documents of your vehicle & your license.

b. Take good rest before you start on a journey

c. Wear seat belts.

Bon voyage! Have a happy and safe journey with Your loved ones!

Top 10 Safety Issues that Needs to be Implemented by the Indian Government

Top 10 Safety Issues that Needs to be Implemented by the Indian Government

Top 10 Safety Issues that Need to be Implemented by the Indian Government

1.     Irregularities in issuing of Driving Licenses

Although this seems to be in no way connected to road safety, it is a vital issue, which leads to road safety disasters. LLR’s and permanent licences are issued without mandatory tests, and in some cases (where the tests are conducted) they are done in a lax and negligent manner. Oftentimes, bribes are involved. This results in half baked drivers becoming legitimate drivers on the road, but with the faintest regard and knowledge of road rules. Driving, they assume, is just stomping on the brakes and accelerator.

2.     Drunken driving

A very common threat to road safety, drunken driving causes several accidents and claims many innocent victims. To combat this there should be stricter vigilance on part of the authorities. Furthermore, people driving should be more responsible, and never ever drive if they have consumed alcohol. Most people who consume alcohol always assume that they are in perfect control of their vehicles, when in reality their motor skills and reflex action are drastically reduced.

3.     Unlicensed driving

Unlicensed driving amongst teenagers, especially in smaller towns and in B and C grade cities can be seen driving their parents’ vehicles by the time they reach High School. It is very common to see 12 and 13 year olds in school uniforms driving to school!  And that too on public roads!!! The worst part, however, is that such parents are actually proud of their children. Police too turn a blind eye to such young divers. This is a hazard to the children, and the general public. Government personnel should be stricter and the whole society should work together to stop this unsafe practice.

4.     Cycles

Almost all cycles that ply on roads does not have any kind of lighting- either Dynamos, Battery lights or even reflector lights/tapes. The common argument given is that cycles are a poor man’s vehicle. However, a person spending Rs 2500- 3000/-  for a  cycle can definitely also spend Rs 100/- more for a proper light or at least use reflector lights, which highlights that he / she is present  on the road. Not using lights of any kind is a safety hazard for the person who is riding the cycle and for other vehicles plying on the road.

5.     Re-fitness checks for vehicles

Vehicles with white board number plate undergo fitness certificate after 15 years of operation and yellow board vehicles every 2 years .RTO’s seldom do through checks of the brakes of vehicles when it comes for fitness assessment. Additionally, they do not conduct intensive checks the general condition of the vehicles, including the Engines, Brakes, Seats and Flooring of buses, etc. It is always assumed that vehicles work properly. Sadly, only the bucks matter for them, resulting in a serious safety issue.

6.     Brake lights

You would have noticed that many trucks and public sector vehicles do not have working red taillights at the back. A case in the point. Tractors plying on highways and other rural roads rarely have any lights on them. This makes it extremely dangerous for a vehicle travelling at 90 to 100 Km/hr at night to suddenly come across a vehicle travelling at 25 Km/ Hr in the middle of the road.  Brake lights or at least Red reflectors must be made compulsory in order to increase visibility for the vehicle coming behind them.

(To put it in perspective, a vehicle travelling at 60 km/hr the speed will be doing 16 meters per second, therefore making it next to impossible to brake in time to avoid hitting the slower moving vehicle)

7.     Crash guards on heavy vehicle

Many heavy vehicles remove of their rear and front crash guards after the 1^st year of vehicle service. However, crash guards have a vital function. This guard is provided both in the front and the rear of the truck  so that smaller vehicles, like cars do not go under the vehicles in the event of an accident. This should be checked and enforced by the officials.

8.     Headlight for Heavy vehicles

For Heavy vehicles and Buses, safety experts recommend that the headlight height should not be more than 3 feet above the ground. Many countries strictly adhere to this practice. However, in India very few follow this rule. All HCV, LCV and all private body builders violate this rule, with many installing 4 headlights, which is illegal. (98 % of people do not follow the rule) Keeping the headlight low  will avoid direct glare on the oncoming vehicles. Some manufactures argue that they use only 35 watts bulb for the headlight. However, as soon as the vehicles are out on the roads after registration, they all invariably switch to 90 or 100 watts bulbs, which are blinding for the oncoming vehicles

(The only exceptions are the Volvo Buses and Mercedes Benz Heavy vehicles , they keep their headlights low).

9.     Speed breakers

Speed breakers should be provided at the crossing / intersection of all highways. Side roads which join the main roads should also be provided with speed breakers, because it is the nature of Indian drivers to zip across the main roads on full clip, which can be dangerous for both parties. Several accidents on the highway happen due to the absence of such speed breakers, resulting in several tragic deaths.

10.   Auto Headlight Dipping Facility

At present headlight adjustment facilities in vehicles has become mandatory. However, instead of turning the headlight to lower angle, many drivers choose to keep the headlight aligned on high permanently. It will be good if the Government introduces compulsory Auto headlight adjustment facility instead of the present one, which is just aligns the head lights. The Auto Dipping Facility can help in reducing a lot of accidents which happen during night hours.

(Note: For the past few years, headlight alignment switches have been provided in almost all 4 wheelers. Many choose to set their high beam light as high as possible, which is blinding to the oncoming vehicles. Furthermore, most vehicles use multi reflector lenses, which helps spread the light even more. This makes it worthless to put black dots at the centre of the headlight. Moreover, the present driving culture in India sees many drivers not dipping their headlights for oncoming vehicles. (The amazing thing I’ve noticed is that even if someone dips, the other will not respond, making the person who dips the light look like a fool !!! ). So it will be good if the Government changes the rules making Auto Dipping Lights a compulsory feature for all new vehicles.  Kits can also be provided in the market for retro fitment.)

Hope you enjoyed reading my views on how the government can help improve the common road safety hazards in India.

What other issues do you think need to be highlighted? Please do leave your comments in the comments box below.