Safe roads in mind, IIT Madras and Ford to train gen next drivers

CHENNAI: The Center of Excellence for Road Safety (CoERS) at IIT-Madras has partnered with Ford Motor Company to address the growing concern of road accidents involving young and inexperienced drivers.

The project aims to train the young minds of the next generation of drivers.

According to IIT-M, the initiative aims to 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' released by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), as many as 42,878 out of a total of 1,68,491 fatal road accident victims in the year 2022 were under 25 years of age.

"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 behaviour becomes second nature, helping to save lives on roads," a release from IIT-M read.

"Towards this objective, this programme by IIT-M and Ford focuses on practical training, emphasising responsible driving on the roads. 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 noted.

Speaking on the occasion, V Kamakoti, Director of IIT-M said, "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 behaviour, and through this initiative, we aim to sensitize the younger generation—the drivers of tomorrow—towards safer driving practices."

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