Government to update its driver licensing system

The minister was addressing the Road Safety Forum 2016, the national meet of NGOs on Road Safety, in New Delhi yesterday. Expressing concern over the 500,000 road accidents in the country every year in which about 140,000 people lose their lives.

Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari has called upon citizens and NGOs to participate in the national campaign on road safety to create awareness about road safety issues in the country.

Gadkari also stated that the present system of issuing driving licenses will soon be replaced by a transparent and efficient computerised licensing system. He added that driving schools are being opened across the country to train drivers. Fitness of drivers is another major concern that the government will be addressing. Gadkari said that over 3,000 centres will be set up in rural areas to train drivers and address fitness-related issues. He also said that roadside amenities will be equipped with helipads for quick transfer of accident victims to hospitals and all busy traffic corridors will have trauma centres along the highways.

Gadkari pointed out several issues related to road safety like identification of accident-causing black spots, training and health check-up of drivers and educating the general public including children about road safety issues, where NGOs can play a vital role. He added that identification of black spots and taking corrective action to make these sites safe is a major priority for the Ministry. Around 726 black spots have identified across the country and Rs 11,000 crore has been earmarked to address this problem.