Government launches Youth Road Safety Learners Licence Programme

Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has launched Youth Road Safety Learners Licence programme in New Delhi today. It is Public–private partnership (PPP) initiative in collaboration with Diageo India and Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE).

Youth Road Safety Learners Licence Programme

It is first-of-its-kind training programme in the country. It attempts to bring formal and structured training program for young, first-time drivers as they apply for learner’s license. Its long-term objective is at improving road safety awareness amongst young adults by inculcating behavioural change and creating awareness about responsible driving habits.
This programme will help Government to achieve its target of reducing road accidents by 50% by 2020. It will help to main-stream road safety in formal education system. The programme has immersive and interactive module led by senior faculty members of IRTE covering varied aspects of responsible driving including defensive driving, ill effects of driving under influence of alcohol, speeding and wearing of helmets spread over two days..

Background

India accounts for 12.5% (over 1.45 lakh fatalities a year) of global road accidents, with one road accident occurring every four minutes. Alarmingly, 72% victims involved in such road mishaps are between age groups of 15-44 years with speeding, reckless and drunk driving being the top reason accounting for 1.5% of road traffic accidents and 4.6% of fatalities.

Month: Current Affairs - October, 2018