Ranchi, July 10: Once you step out on the road, you never know whether you would return home alive or not. Thanks to the drivers and their traffic sense, roads have turned into death traps for commuters.

Rash driving of motorcycles, SUV or even car can turn out to be dangerous. Most of the drivers drive without following the basic traffic rules. They overtake vehicles from the right, drive their car when the signal is red, reach highways through a side lane without using horn or slowing down. These activities of the drivers have turned the way into killer roads.

Because of these careless driving, at least four major road accidents took place in the past four days alone in Ranchi district.

It is a common sight to see motorbike riders racing on the road, speeding through congested road, overlooking traffic signals.

“Often we find youths swerving their motorbikes at a turn speedily, taking the turn when the signal is red, plying at high speed. It shocks us, the drivers of four wheelers, to see these youths overtake a vehicle the wrong side. These two-wheeler drivers have no sense of traffic rules,” said a bus driver.

The new hazard lights, which were supposed to help drivers, have increased the risk. These lights are provided in the new models of four-wheelers to be used in case of emergency to indicate that the driver needs help.

“These lights were supposed to be used in case of emergency. But what I have noticed that if a car wants to go straight, the driver makes use of hazard lights to indicate he is driving straight,” said Jayant Jaipal Singh, a senior officer in a steel company.

Many a time the drivers are not aware of using hazard lights and switch it on without knowing that he is signalling for help, Singh added.

Leave alone the hazard lights, many drivers do not even know that when a vehicle is approaching from the other side, they should put on the dipper for safety of both the vehicles and driver leading fatal accidents.

Another habit of the drivers is using headlights during daytime. The reason, which the drivers furnish, is that they want space and it is like a signal for overtaking a vehicle from the wrong side or speeding on a congested road. According to police, the traffic department is trying their best to curb this road menace but their efforts are proving to be inadequate as the drivers are not co-operating with them.

Concerned over reckless driving, superintendent of police (traffic) Dadanjee Sharma said: “We have sent a proposal for installing 30 to 35 CCTVs at select points. That will help us in identifying the reckless drivers as well as track them down. But in the present scenario, to control rash and reckless driving we need manpower, which will enable us to post a few personnel on all important routes and keep a tab on dangerous driving.”