Need to launch road safety campaigns in schools, colleges: Vice President

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu Sunday said there is a need to launch road safety campaigns in high schools and colleges across the country to spread awareness about efforts to reduce accidents and casualty levels.

Speaking on the occasion of the flagging off of the 6th edition of annual 'JK Tyre - Constitution Club of India (CCI) Car Rally for Parliamentarians', Naidu said that every year road accidents were claiming more than one lakh lives in the country with most of the victims being youngsters.

"Road safety campaigns should be launched in all high schools and colleges across the country. Media, particularly electronic media, should be used to highlight the importance of safe driving," he said.

The Vice President further said services of well-known public personalities and icons in the fields of art, culture, sports and public life should also be sought to promote these campaigns.

He added that even the fuel filling stations should be utilised to spread awareness about road safety.

"Stipulations like wearing a helmet and seat belts should be implemented strictly and effectively. This is very important...unfortunately though there is a regulation, it is not being strictly implemented," Naidu said at the event.

In the rally, over 60 cars participated taking a 34-kilometer route, from Rafi Marg to Thyagraj Road before converging onto Teen Murti Marg to end their ride at the CCI.

"In this annual initiative by JK Tyre, we hold the people, who have lost their lives in road accidents, close to our hearts. Decorated Parliamentarians take the road, in compliance with the traffic rules set for any ordinary citizens, to set an example for road safety," CCI Secretary (Admin) Rajiv Pratap Rudy said.