To sensitise youth, road safety to be integrated in school curriculum

Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan held a meeting on Wednesday for integrating road safety into the school education system.

In a post on X, Gadkari said in 2023, over 11,000 lives were lost near schools and institutional areas, including those of more than 10,000 children under the age of 18 years.

“This alarming statistic demands urgent action. With the active support of the Ministry of Education, we are set to expand the ‘Sadak Suraksha Abhiyaan’ to schools across India, aiming to sensitise our future generations about road safety — a concern of national importance," Gadkari said.

The meeting, he said, underscored the urgent need to establish Safe School Zones, enforce strict protocols for children’s entry and exit during school hours and ensure full compliance with safety standards in school buses and vans.

A ministry official said teaching road safety measures to children helps in both protecting the child’s life and raising a responsible youth.

“These young children will be future drivers and road users. It is important to impart lessons to them about road safety at a young age. The aim of the expansion of ‘Sadak Suraksha Abhiyaan’ to schools is to promote awareness and responsibility for safe roads," the official said.

A total of 11,890 road accidents were caused by minors during 2023 and 2024.

Data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways showed that Tamil Nadu with 2,063 accidents tops the chart with almost three accidents per day. Madhya Pradesh (1,138) and Maharashtra (1,067) are next in line.

The need to promote awareness about making roads safe in schools also becomes important in view of recent incidents where minors, mostly school-goers, were responsible.

The Porsche hit-and-run case was reported in Pune last year where a 17-year-old, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, hit two IT professionals on a motorbike. Both victims died. In March, a two-year-old girl was crushed to death in Delhi by a 15-year-old driving his father’s car.

The legal driving age is 18 years for most vehicles in India. Only for motorcycles with engine capacities below 50cc, the minimum age is 16 years.

India