Roadmin launches road safety programme for university students

The Road Transport and Highways Ministry Monday launched a programme to impart road traffic education in universities as it seeks to halve the number of road accidents by 2022.

The programme has been launched against the backdrop of more than 70 per cent of fatal road crashes in 2017 involving adults in the age group of 18-45. Around 1.47 lakh people lost their lives in 4.7 lakh road crashes in 2017.

The programme, Road To Safety Towards Responsible Youth' was launched by the Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Mansukh Lal Mandaviya in partnership with Diageo India and the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE).

Addressing the event, Mandaviya said, "In the recent times, we have seen an alarming rise in road fatalities especially with our youth thus making road safety of prime importance for the government. Rash driving, not wearing seat belts, lack of adequate safety measures like not wearing helmets are some of the top factors resulting in high road accidents."
"This unique public private partnership attempts to bring a formal and structured training programme for university students as they apply for their learner's licence. The programme aims to reach over 500 universities across the country in the next 3 5 years; with the first year target being 100 programmes across 50 universities."