Not just the "What" of road traffic rules, but the "Why" also

Here's a detail which helps you appreciate the logic of traffic rules. Once you know why (your safety, usually), and you know how, you would be able to drive safely, and drive with confidence.

Rule: “Keep Left” You must drive on the left of the road.

Traffic Logic: To avoid collisions, people driving in opposite directions should be on opposite sides of the road.

Rule: Pedestrians must walk on the left of the pavement, whether there is only one pavement, or pavement on both sides of the road. If there is no pavement, they must walk on the right side of the road.

Traffic Logic: Pedestrians can turn or stop faster than a vehicle. They must walk facing oncoming traffic so that they can see when it is necessary to give way to the vehicle by stepping to the side. If there is only one pavement, pedestrians closer to the road must face the traffic, for the same reason. If there is a pavement on both sides, pedestrians walk in the same direction as traffic.

Rule: Overtake only from the right, unless the vehicle in front has signaled an intention to turn right.

Traffic Logic: We drive on the left, and the driver sits on the right. Slow traffic is in the left lane, and fast traffic in the right lane. To overtake, we have to change lanes. Moving to the right, we can see what is in front by moving a little into the other lane. Moving left, we can only see it when most of the vehicle is in the left lane--CRASH. The obstruction caused to other traffic and chances of collision are much less when moving right. Also, there is less speed difference with the slow vehicles on the left. Overtaking a vehicle that is turning right, from its right, will put the overtaking vehicle in the path of the turning vehicle--CRASH.

Rule: Use the turn indicator to signal when you are leaving the main traffic lane, not when the road changes direction. Turn indicators can be used to tell traffic behind you where to overtake.

Traffic Logic: Use turn indicators to signal your intentions to other road users, especially those behind you. Example: If the main road makes a right turn and there is a small side road continuing straight, you do not need to use the right turn indicator if you are on the main road. However, if you plan to take the small road, going straight, you should give a left turn indication.

On a straight road, the vehicle in front should signal right if it wants the following vehicle not to overtake (wait for ‘side’). To tell the following vehicle to overtake (from the right), it should signal left, not right. Truckers often get this wrong.

Roundabouts: In technical terms, a roundabout is a way to convert “cross” traffic into “merge” and “diverge” traffic, which is safer.
Rule: On roundabouts, “give way to traffic on your right”.

Traffic Logic: One reason is to avoid “gridlock”. Imagine the roundabout to be a road with traffic going round continually. Traffic on the right is traffic already in the stream. If this traffic has to give way to traffic that is yet to join, nobody will be able to move. Hence, leaving the stream has priority over joining it. The other reason is that doing it the other way results in unsafe “left side overtaking”.

Rule: A red triangle with the point downward means “give way” or “yield”. This sign is put up at junctions with main roads, and at roundabouts.

Traffic Logic: “Give way” means slow down and move into the road only if there is a gap in the traffic to which you are giving way. If necessary, stop and wait. Do not bully your way into the traffic.

Rule: When joining or continuing in a roundabout, give a “right” indication. When leaving, give a “left” indication.

Traffic Logic: You are indicating whether you are moving into the stream (right) and out of it (left). Giving a left indication just as you join the roundabout is wrong, unless you are turning left.

Pedestrians crossing the road: Rules for pedestrians to cross the road are meant to protect the lives of pedestrians.

Rule: Cross the road at right angles. Never cross diagonally.

Traffic Logic: As long as you are on the road, you are at risk. Minimise the time and risk by using the shortest distance. Which means, cross at right angles.

Rule: Before crossing, look right, then left, then right again. Cross only if the road is clear.

Traffic Logic: Traffic on the road drives on the left. When you cross at right angles to the road, you will first cross traffic coming up from your right. After crossing half the road, traffic will now come from the left. So, first see if the first half of the road (right side) is clear. Don’t cross immediately! Check if the rest of the road (left side) is also clear. Don’t cross yet! Check the right again to be sure that the road is still clear (vehicles may have turned on to the road). If there is a divider, many people cross half the road and wait there. This is not safe. In fast traffic, the suction from a big vehicle can pull you onto the road. 

Zebra crossings: These are special points for pedestrians to cross busy roads. They are marked with white stripes parallel to the road.

Rule: Pedestrians get priority over traffic on zebra (pedestrian) crossings without traffic lights, where drivers have to check the crossing before proceeding.

Traffic Logic: Pedestrians give way to traffic as any collision will injure them more. However, to help pedestrians cross busy roads, safe points are marked with zebra crossings. On these, vehicles must give way to pedestrians. The driver is responsible for checking if any pedestrian wants to cross, and must stop if so. You should stop even if the pedestrians have reached the crossing, but are not yet on it.

Rule: Pedestrians may cross a zebra crossing at a traffic signal only when the signal is green for pedestrians (red for the vehicles).
Traffic Logic: If traffic on very busy roads stops for pedestrians at zebra crossings when the light is green for vehicles, it would cause a traffic jam. However, when it turns green, drivers must still wait for pedestrians already on the crossing to clear it, before moving.

The STOP line: Do you inch across the STOP line, or creep slowly into main road traffic with your blinker on, in the hope of moving faster? Don’t. Apart from greater chances of a crash, you are actually slowing yourself down.