Every rule of the road in one place: the ten that matter most, then all 35 rules of this guide, section by section. Each one is based on Indian law and links to a full explanation with sources.
India's traffic rules come from three main sources. The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 sets out offences and penalties. The Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 cover licences, vehicles and equipment. The Motor Vehicles (Driving) Regulations, 2017 set the rules of the road: where to drive, how to overtake, who gives way and where you may park. States add their own rules and notifications, and road signs, markings and police directions always apply.
This page summarises the whole guide. Where a point is good practice rather than law, the full rule says so.
10 basic traffic rules
Keep left, and overtake only from the right. Keep generally to the left of the road and within your lane. Overtake from the right, and only when you can see enough clear road to finish safely. Read the rule
Wear a seat belt and a helmet, every trip. Seat belts for the driver and every passenger in front-facing seats, front and rear. BIS-certified helmets for every rider and pillion above four years. Read the rule
Stop on red. Stop behind the stop line on red, and on amber unless it is unsafe to stop. Jumping a red light is dangerous driving under Section 184. Read the rule
Treat the speed limit as a maximum. Drive slowly enough to stop within the distance you can see, and keep at least a three-second gap behind the vehicle ahead (India Drive Safe recommendation). Read the rule
Never drink and drive. The legal limit is 30 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood (Section 185). The safe amount before driving is none. Read the rule
Put the phone away. Hand-held phone use while driving is prohibited and can be treated as dangerous driving. Read the rule
Give way to people on foot and to emergency vehicles. Stop for pedestrians at uncontrolled crossings. Move left and stop if needed for ambulances and fire engines, and keep 50 metres behind them. Read the rule
Know who goes first at junctions and roundabouts. At an uncontrolled junction give way to traffic from your right; at a roundabout give way to traffic already circulating. Signs, signals and police come first. Read the rule
Carry valid documents. Driving licence, registration, insurance and pollution certificate, on paper or in DigiLocker or mParivahan. Read the rule
Stop and help after a crash. If anyone is hurt: stop, call 112, get medical help and report to the police within 24 hours. People who help in good faith are protected by Section 134A. Read the rule
Where should an Indian driver position the vehicle? Keep generally left, stay within marked lanes, leave safe clearance from hazards, and avoid unnecessary centre-line or right-lane occupation.
Plan early, check mirrors, signal, look over your shoulder, and move only into a real gap. Change one lane at a time, give way when joining a main road, and take turns where lanes merge.
Before moving off, changing lanes, turning, merging or changing road position, know what is around you, check blind spots, signal clearly and move only when it is safe.
Use the horn only to warn of danger, with a short tap. Never honk continuously, in anger, in silence zones or at night in residential areas, and never fit pressure or musical horns.
A speed limit is a maximum, not a target. Drive slowly enough to stay in control, stop within the distance you can see to be clear, and keep enough space behind the vehicle ahead.
Overtake only when you can see enough clear road, complete the manoeuvre without forcing anyone to brake or swerve, stay within the speed limit and return safely to the left.
Plan every turn early, move into the correct lane, check traffic and vulnerable road users, signal clearly and follow the safest lawful path. U-turns are permitted only in limited situations.
Slow down before every junction, identify who controls the intersection, give way where required, protect pedestrians, and never enter unless your exit is clear.
Stop behind the line on red, stop on amber unless it is unsafe, go on green only if the way is clear, follow arrows, treat flashing red as STOP and flashing amber as give way — and turn left on red only after giving way.
Slow down, choose the correct lane before entering, give way to traffic already circulating, follow signs and markings, signal clearly when changing lane or leaving, and never force your way into a gap.
Look for people outside vehicles, slow down where they are, give them at least 1.5 metres when you pass, stop for them at crossings, and wait rather than squeeze past.
Use footpaths and crossings, walk facing traffic where there is no footpath, stop, look and listen before crossing, cross straight and at a walk, and be seen at night.
Wear an ISI-marked helmet with the strap fastened, make sure your pillion does too, carry only one passenger, keep your headlight on, stay out of blind spots and expect drivers not to see you.
Ride on the left with traffic, be seen with lights and bright clothing, signal and look before every move, never ride inside a turning vehicle, obey signals, and wear a helmet.
Every child, every trip: in the back seat, in a child seat or booster that fits their size, until the adult belt fits properly. Never in a lap, never in front of an airbag, never sharing a belt.
School transport must be properly marked, speed-limited, supervised and never overloaded. Parents should check vehicle and driver, children should learn safe boarding habits, and every driver should slow to walking pace past a stopped school bus.
Slow down early where animals may be on the road, give them room, never honk or rev to scare them, stop for crossing herds, brake straight rather than swerve, and obey forest-road night closures.
Join at the speed of traffic, keep left unless overtaking, keep a long gap, obey the posted limit, never stop, reverse or U-turn on the carriageway, and rest every two hours.
Slow down early at toll plazas, pick your lane in time, keep a working FASTag fixed on the windscreen, and merge carefully afterwards. At police checks, stop safely, show your documents (paper or DigiLocker), and pay fines only through an official e-challan.
Stay out of large vehicles' blind spots, never cut in front of them, give them room to turn and stop — and if you drive one, keep loads secure and legal, use your mirrors constantly and rest before you are tired.
Stop and park only where it is legal and safe, leave the vehicle secured, look before opening doors, never reverse onto a public road, and walk around before you reverse.
When you can see less or your tyres grip less, slow down until you can stop within the distance you can see, use the right lights, double your gap, never stop in a lane and never drive into floodwater.
Use a low gear and engine braking downhill, never coast, keep left on every bend, give long vehicles room on hairpins, overtake only with a clear view, and remember that on narrow mountain roads the vehicle going downhill gives way.
Move left and stop for sirens, keep 50 metres behind emergency vehicles, make a crash scene safe, call 112, help the injured without moving them, and know that Good Samaritans are protected by law.
After the scene is safe: record evidence, report to the police when anyone is hurt, tell your insurer immediately, keep every document, and file any injury or death claim at the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal as early as possible.
Circles give orders, triangles give warnings, rectangles give information. Learn what each line on the road means, choose your lane early, and at railway crossings stop, look and listen.
Drive sober, rested and undistracted. Put the phone away, expect other people to make mistakes, keep a space cushion, never respond to road rage, and never let a child drive.
Start rested, plan a 15-minute break every two hours, avoid driving between midnight and 6 a.m., share the driving, and stop safely as soon as you feel sleepy.
Check tyres, brakes, lights, wipers and mirrors regularly; keep registration, insurance and pollution certificates valid; use standard number plates and glass; and avoid illegal modifications.
Everyone wears a seat belt, front and rear, on every trip: lap belt low, shoulder belt across the middle of the shoulder, no slack. Adjust head restraints, keep feet off the dashboard, and remember airbags work with belts, not instead of them.
EVs follow every road rule. Remember they are almost silent and accelerate instantly, know the limits for exempt e-scooters and e-rickshaws, and charge only with the right charger on safe wiring.
Stay within your vehicle's load limits, put heavy items low, secure everything, never let a load stick out or hide your plate and lights, and tow only with a short, visible rope or bar at 25 km/h with ON TOW signs and hazard lights.
Drive only with a valid licence for that vehicle. Learners need L-plates and a licensed supervisor beside them, can take the test after 30 days, and should aim for many hours of varied practice, not just enough to pass.
Indian law recognises adapted vehicles and licences for drivers with disabilities. Get a medical assessment, fit approved adaptations with RTO approval, train with a suitable instructor and take the test in the adapted vehicle.
Check each country's licence rules, get an International Driving Permit if needed and carry it with your Indian licence, learn the local laws, and take extra care when traffic keeps to the right. Visitors to India need an IDP and their home licence.
Know the rules? Check yourself with the free learner licence mock test: 15 questions, 9 to pass.
Keep left and overtake from the right; wear seat belts and helmets; stop on red; keep within the speed limit and a safe gap; never drink and drive or use a hand-held phone; give way to pedestrians at crossings and to emergency vehicles; and carry valid documents. The ten most important are listed at the top of this page.
Which laws contain India's traffic rules?
The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (with its 2019 amendments) sets offences and penalties. The Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 cover vehicles, licences and equipment, and the Motor Vehicles (Driving) Regulations, 2017 set the rules of the road. States add their own rules and notifications.
Are traffic rules the same in every State?
The national Acts, Rules and Regulations apply everywhere, but States set some speed limits, compounding fees for fines and local rules, for example for pedestrians and parking. Always follow the signs, markings and police directions where you are driving.
How can I test my knowledge of the traffic rules?
Take the free learner licence mock test (15 questions, 9 to pass) or the full knowledge test (30 questions), or practise the questions for one rule at a time.