Page 839 - The Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989

REG. 18 MOTOR VEHICLES (DRIVING) REGULATIONS, 2017 811

16. Speed
(1) A driver shall drive only at a speed which allows him control of the vehicle
at all times, taking into account the driving conditions, including to the condition
of the vehicle and its load, the road, other traffic, visibility and weather.
(2) The vehicle shall, during fog, rainfall, snowfall, storm or desert winds,
be driven at a lower speed to enable the driver to stop the vehicle within the range
of forward vision.
(3) A motor vehicle shall not be driven—
(i) at a speed exceeding or less than the maximum or minimum speed
limit specified on the signages; and
(ii) at a speed exceeding the maximum speed limit notified by the
competent authority or authorities for that class of vehicles and for
the class of roads on which it is for the time being driven.

(4) No driver shall, without good and sufficient reason, drive so slowly as
to impede the normal traffic flow.
(5) No driver shall drive at a speed exceeding twenty-five kilometre per hour
or such lower speed as may be specified on the road signage while passing by
a construction site or a school or a hospital, wherever indicated by signage, or on
roads without footpaths and soft shoulders where pedestrians use a part of the
carriageway to walk.
17. Keeping safe distance
(1) A driver driving behind another vehicle shall keep sufficient distance,
commensurate with the traffic conditions, from the vehicle ahead, so as to be able
to stop (pull up) safely if the vehicle ahead suddenly slows down or stops.
(2) When being followed by another vehicle, not suddenly brake without a
compelling reason.
(3) The driver shall during rainfall, snow or storm orice on the road due to
severe weather conditions and during other adverse weather conditions, further
increase the distance from the vehicle ahead.
18. Restrictions on driving backwards (in reverse direction)
(1) No driver of a motor vehicle shall drive the vehicle backwards (in the
reverse direction) on a road or in a parking or any other public place:
PROVIDED that the driver shall while driving backwards ensure that the
backward movement of the vehicle does not in any manner endanger the safety
of, or cause undue inconvenience to, the other road users and that such reverse
movement is for a distance and duration that may be reasonably necessary to turn
around the vehicle.
(2) No motor vehicle shall be driven on to a public road in the reverse
direction.
(3) No motor vehicle shall be driven backwards into a road designated as
“ONE WAY”.