The transport sector accounts for 6.6% of India’s gross domestic product (GDP). However, the road safety scenario in India is precarious. Studies show that the overall fatalities due to road accidents and the percentage of fatalities are on the rise owing to poor driving skills and human error.
Faced with such alarming statistics, Essar Foundation and Essar Steel (EStIL), Hazira launched an initiative to address these issues through driver’s training for the youth of Hazira village. A tripartite approach including a Surat-based driving school and the Surat RTO (Road Transport Office) has been adopted to facilitate the process. The proposed program will help the local youth with:
— Formal, structured training and instruction on traffic rules and road safety
— Facilitating driving tests and the process of getting driver’s licences for the trainees
— Follow-up refresher courses at later dates
The program was formally launched on January 31, 2014 at Nav Jagruti Vidya Vihar School in the presence of the RTO Inspector, Surat and other officials. More than 50 boys and girls from the village learnt about safe driving habits and techniques, through audio-visual presentations conducted in a specially designed vehicle belonging to the road safety department, government of Gujarat. A learner vehicle, which will be used for training the youth, was also flagged off on the occasion.
