The Bihar Transport Department has introduced a special driver training scheme in a big drive to enhance road safety, and this has encompassed not only government vehicle drivers, but also Ola and Uber cab drivers. The project will minimize road accidents through increasing the awareness of drivers concerning the rules of the road, safe driving and responsible road behaviours.
The training exercise is being carried out along with the Bihar Road Safety Council and targets a large number of drivers, such as those driving government vehicles, buses, trucks, autos, and taxis through the app. Different categories of drivers are being arranged to have separate sessions so that focused and effective learning can be done. The initial trimester of the sessions started a bit ago at Vishveshwariya Bhavan in Patna, where some 329 drivers attended.
Among the factors of road safety that the drivers are taught during the sessions are road signs and traffic lights, road discipline, speed limit observation, and how to avoid risky habits such as using their mobile phones when driving. Another issue that is highlighted in the program is the use of helmets, seatbelts, the fitness of the vehicle used, and not being fatigued when driving. The goal of the trainers is to inculcate the culture of being careful, responsible, and human-focused in decisions among the drivers.
Transport Secretary Raj Kumar, who gave the inauguration address, pointed out that the program is not only about the enforcement of rules but the change of driver behaviour as well. He said that accidents could be significantly minimized provided that drivers were aware of the dangers of reckless driving and embraced safety-conscious behaviours. Another objective of the program is to train drivers to be ready to face real-life related situations where making a good judgment can save lives and avoid accidents.
Road safety is an important issue in Bihar, where the population of vehicles and city congestion continues to increase as a resulting in more accidents. Drivers, according to the officials, should have structured training as a crucial instrument in the fight against this trend. Although penalties and enforcement are important, education and awareness are needed in the long term to improve road safety.
The project has gained both citizen and expert approval, as they both consider the venture a positive move towards mitigating deaths and injuries on state roads. The Bihar Transport Department hopes to go on with these training programs throughout the year, gradually training thousands of drivers in the state.
Providing drivers with useful information, road etiquette, and safety consciousness, Bihar strives to make the streets safer for commuters and pedestrians and establish a culture of people following the rules of the road, not an exception.
