State unveils month-long road safety campaign
Following a directive from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Maharashtra State Transport Department has announced a road safety awareness campaign from January 15 to February 14.
The month-long initiative aims to raise awareness about road safety measures and promote responsible driving habits among citizens, an official said, adding that it aims to bring together various stakeholders for a comprehensive approach to enhance road safety across the state.
According to the state transport department, th campaign involves collaboration with multiple entities, including police departments, traffic police, public works departments, national highways departments, education and health departments, charitable organisations, motor driving schools, vehicle dealers, PUC centres, vehicle manufacturing companies and insurance firms.
District-level road safety committees will convene meetings with police, health, education, and public works departments to plan the execution of programme under the campaign.
Apart from that banners / posters carrying road safety messages will be strategically placed in squares, main roads, and crucial locations. Handbills, paper badges, and guidance booklets will be distributed at offices, border checkpoints, and areas with high vehicle traffic. Posters related to road safety will be placed at petrol pumps, garages, dhabas, and service centres.
Similarly, instructors at driving schools will undergo refresher workshops, focusing on traffic awareness, safety rules, road signs, first aid, passenger safety, and the latest road traffic regulations.
In addition to that, video conferencing lectures on road safety will be organised in schools and colleges to raise awareness among students. Public meetings at important locations will disseminate information about the Motor Vehicle Act to motorists.
The recent NCRB data for 2022 highlights concerning trends in highway accidents across India, with a majority (90,663 out of 4,46,768) occurring between 6pm and 9pm. Rural areas accounted for 59.7% of crashes, with speeding contributing to nearly 58%, and dangerous/careless driving or overtaking responsible for 26%. Maharashtra ranked third in road accidents for the year 2022.