Aiming to train 15 lakh people via driving school network by 2020: Maruti

Country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) today said it aims to train 15 lakh people through its driving school network by 2020.

The auto major, which opened its 450th driving centre today at Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, has already imparted training to over 5.3 lakh people on safe driving in the last five years, MSI said in a statement.

Nearly 46 per cent of the people trained through Maruti Driving School (MDS) network are women, it added.

"Our aim is to continue expanding the MDS network and train 1.5 million people on quality driving skills by 2020," MSI Senior Executive Director Marketing and Sales R S Kalsi said.

The company believes that a scientifically designed driving training program will help to make Indian roads safer, he added.

Road accidents are the cause of over 1.5 lakh deaths every year in India.

Around 1.75 lakh people were trained at the centres in 2017-18. With this 450th centre, MDS network now covers 212 cities across country.

MSI has set up the driving schools in partnership with its dealers, company also manages seven Institute of Driving and Traffic Research (IDTRs) across country in partnership with state governments.

IDTRs set standards for driving training, promote use of technologies such as driving simulators and train driving instructors.