MNS:- Dr. CP Joshi, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways (RT&H) has called upon all stakeholders to join hands to collectively address the issues and concerns of road safety so that precious lives can be saved. Addressing the valedictory function of 24th road safety week held at here today, Dr. C.P. Joshi said that though Road Safety is a responsibility of R T& H Ministry, it is possible only with the active cooperation of other stakeholders such as the corporate houses, automobiles and transport Associations, teachers, students, the electronic and print Media, the NGO’s and the Academia. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will soon be using information technology and social media tools/ seeking active participation of road users, he added. To take the road safety message far and wide, the Ministry also intends to reach out to 30 lakh elected Panchayati Raj representatives in their local languages. The Minister has written to all Chief Ministers to make Road Safety a Social Movement in partnership with schools and universities. The Minister said that to make a sustainable and sizable difference in making our roads safer efforts need to be increased on all fronts and the Ministry is doing so. The Minister gave away annual National Awards to various State Transport Organizations for exemplary work in Road Safety.
Children and youth are among the most vulnerable. The age group (15-24 years) accounted for 30.3 per cent of total road accident casualties during the year 2011. It is the Ministry’s endeavour to make road safety a social movement in partnership with schools and Universities. Educational institutions can play a very important role in promoting road safety. They can organize road safety activities at school and colleges and create opportunities for students to engage in road safety programmes.
Earlier speaking on the occasion the Secretary (RT&H),Shri A K Upadhyay said to the Ministry is making all efforts to bring Road Safety to centre focus and is launching mitigation measures in 13 states where 325 black spots on roads have been identified that account for 90 percent road accidents.
In order to spread road safety awareness “Road Safety Week” is observed all over the country in the month of January every year. The 24th road safety week was observed from 1st January to 7th January 2013. The theme for Road Safety Week this year is Stay Alive, don’t drink and drive. Various events and activities were undertaken by different organisations, during this week to make the people aware about the need for road safety. SIAM organized several events through its members which involved a chain of 4200 Automobile Dealers’ network across the country. Their members also organized workshops, training programmes, health check-up camps for drivers, awareness drives. AIMTC also launched a campaign through its regional arms across the entire country to make their drivers and the local community aware of the need for road safety. The Association of State Road Transport Union had also undertaken awareness campaign and medical check-up camps for its drivers. Many more State Governments, associations and organisations have taken up awareness activities during this week.
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