Shell India, VisionSpring win global award for improving road safety

Shell India and social enterprise VisionSpring said on Thursday that #DriveSafeIndia, a programme to provide screening and eyeglasses to more than 3.5 lakh commercial drivers and allied transportation workers across India, has been awarded the Prince Michael International Road Safety Award.

The award recognises outstanding achievement and innovation worldwide towards improving road safety. The programme has already screened the vision of 97,000 people in 40 cities and towns across the country.

After getting glasses for the first time in their lives, 76 per cent of the drivers surveyed in a study articulated that driving safely and optimal job performance will be the most important results of their new clear vision.

The assessment underscores the need for proactive interventions that effectively increase eyeglasses utilisation among drivers in need of vision correction.

Nitin Prasad, Chairman of Shell Companies in India, said almost 75 per cent of road fatalities in India are attributed to driver error.

"The #DriveSafeIndia programme is a step forward in the right direction to create safer drivers. The award does not belong to us alone. It belongs to every single one of the driver and transportation worker who walked into that camp and said yes to safety and saving lives," he said in a statement.

VisionSpring CEO Ella Gudwin said the social enterprise is reaching people who have never had a vision test before. "In fact, 67 per cent of participants are acquiring their very first pair of glasses through the programme. Now they can see well to stay safe."

The Prince Michael International Road Safety Awards have recognised outstanding achievement and innovation in Britain and across the world since 1987.

Congratulating the winners, Prince Michael of Kent said: "You have been judged by your peers to be among a unique group who are committed to improving the safety of those who travel on the world's roads."

.