In an effort to improve road safety, the school education department in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh has prepared study material for about 24 lakh school students. This study material has been recommended by the state Road Safety Implement Committee to provide information about accidents and driving to students. The material will be approved by the Police Training and Research Institute (PTRI) and provided with funds to publish it.
The PTRI has been making efforts to spread awareness about driving safety norms, accidents, and their reasons and consequences. Every year, a large number of people lose their lives due to driver negligence. In 2022, 54,432 road accidents took place in which about 13,427 people lost their lives.
The study material will be distributed amongst the 9,200 schools of the state in which about 24 lakh students in classes 9 to 12 are studying, with 7 lakh students being part of class 11 and 12. The students will receive booklets that will be kept in the school library and asked to study it.
ADG G Janardan informed that the PTRI had conducted research, revealing that accidents take place more in rural areas. Of the total number of deaths in accidents, around 9,531 people died in rural areas and 3,896 died in urban areas. The PTRI will spend Rs 8 lakh on printing the study material and will distribute it among the schools.
The ultimate goal is to bring a change in the way people drive and to bring awareness to parents and relatives about responsible driving. The initiative taken by the state’s Road Safety Implement Committee is commendable, and it is hoped this will help reduce the number of accidents and deaths on the road.
