CHENNAI, SEP 12 :  The Indian Institute of Technology Madras’ Center of Excellence for Road Safety (CoERS) on Thursday partnered with auto major Ford to address the growing concern of road accidents involving young drivers.

The initiative aims to train the next generation young drivers. The initiative would equip thousands of students from 240 schools in Tamil Nadu with essential road safety knowledge and skills through master trainers. As per a report on ‘Road Accidents in India 2022’ by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), as many as 42,878 out of total 1,68,491 fatal road accident victims in the year 2022 were under 25 years.

“Inculcating road safety practices in childhood is vital as it helps embed these habits into long-term memory, making them a natural part of their lifestyle. By teaching road safety early, the society can ensure that safe behaviours become second nature, helping to save lives on roads”, a release from IIT-Madras said.

Towards this objective, this program by IIT Madras and Ford focuses on practical training, emphasizing responsible driving on the roads.

The CoERS, IIT Madras, and Ford had earlier signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on August 30, 2024 towards this collaboration.

These trained individuals will impart further training programs in their respective schools and traffic jurisdictions creating multiplier effects driving practices, traffic rules, and hazard awareness.

By investing in the education of young drivers, CoERS and Ford aim to reduce accidents and create a safer future for all road users, it said.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, “IIT Madras is committed to driving social change through various initiatives. Engaging the younger generation in these efforts is crucial for fostering a culture of safety on the roads. We have previously worked on improving driver behavior, and through this initiative, we aim to sensitize the younger generation—the drivers of tomorrow—towards safer driving practices.”

As a part of this, the capacity-building training sessions will be conducted for teachers, traffic wardens, and traffic police personnel on road safety from human behaviour perspectives, he said.(UNI)