Kolkata Police joins hands with 2 NGOs to train drivers

Kolkata: In a bid to make the professional and owner-drivers aware about proper driving, Kolkata Police, along with two NGOs - 21 Century and Karmajog, are conducting a massive drive to educate them as a part of Safe Drive Save Life programme.

Those who attend the awareness classes will be given a Safe Drive licence, containing the photograph of the driver, licence number, residential address and a bar code.

One such camp is situated at Sealdah, beside Nilratan Sarkar Medical College and Hospital. Both professional and owner-drivers who attend the classes, are required to show their driving licences at first. Then, their photos are taken and they are shown a video.

The educative 45-minute video teaches the dos and don'ts, that are required to be followed for proper driving. There are videos of fatal road accidents due to breaking of traffic signals, driving motorcycles without helmets, drunken driving, etc. The videos are both interesting and educative.

It may be mentioned that around 1.91 lakh people die in road accidents in India every year. A senior police officer said that a survey has revealed that between 9 a.m and 12 noon and 9 p.m till midnight, the maximum number of road accidents take place.

It means that when people rush to reach their place of work, they flout traffic rules, which causes road accidents which are often fatal. Also at night, people are in a hurry to reach home after attending parties or social gatherings and often flout traffic rules, which results in road accidents as well.

The officer said proper driving technique is required for true implementation of Safe Drive Save Life scheme.

When two cars moving at 10 km per hour collide, the impact is like falling from a first floor balcony, whereas if they collide at 40 km per hour, it is like falling from a sixth floor balcony.

He said every driver, be it professional or owner, should follow the traffic rules and be cautious at road intersections. Also, they should not drive after drinking or talk on the cell phone while driving, as both distract one's mind from the road.

"Drive carefully and properly to make the Safe Drive Save Life scheme a success," he said.