Govt Pushes Road Safety Education, Gadkari Unveils New National Initiatives

In a landmark initiative to promote safer roads and reduce fatalities, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari, announced that road safety lessons will now be integrated into school and college curricula across all regional languages. The initiative, rolled out in collaboration with Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, was officially inaugurated at a Central School and marks a fresh push to instill safe driving values from a young age.

The announcement came at the 7th Edition of the FICCI Road Safety Awards & Symposium 2025, held in New Delhi under the theme “Vision Zero: Life First, Always.”

Road Safety Through Education

Addressing the gathering, Shri Gadkari stressed that while regulations, enforcement, and infrastructure improvements remain vital, changing human behaviour is the biggest challenge. He explained that early education in schools and colleges will help shape responsible attitudes towards road safety.

“The best way to achieve behavioural change is to reach children early—with education, awareness, and training,” Shri Gadkari said.

The programme will involve interactive modules, multilingual content, and volunteering by citizens, including retired professionals, to spread awareness among students nationwide.

Key Initiatives Announced at the Symposium

The event served as a platform for unveiling a series of new policies and campaigns:

• Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) adopted to promote vehicle crash safety.

• Bus Body Code & Road Safety Audits to enforce higher standards in public transport and highways.

• Air-conditioned truck cabins and fatigue detection systems to safeguard truck drivers.

• Awareness campaigns featuring Amitabh Bachchan and a multilingual musical collaboration by Shankar Mahadevan, reaching audiences in 22 Indian languages.

• Rah-Veer Scheme: ₹25,000 reward per incident for Good Samaritans who assist accident victims.

• Mandatory lift-enabled foot overbridges and scooter-accessible infrastructure to enhance pedestrian and two-wheeler safety.

• Data-driven safety audits to identify accident hotspots, analyze root causes, and implement corrective measures.

• Community participation, urging citizens to volunteer in spreading awareness.

Shared Responsibility for Safer Roads

Reiterating the government’s “Vision Zero” approach, Shri Gadkari said India can only achieve lasting reductions in road accidents through collective responsibility:

“Government policies and enforcement will not suffice unless every citizen respects road rules, follows traffic norms, and extends help during emergencies.”

FICCI Road Safety Awards 2025

Organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), the awards recognised outstanding contributions from automotive manufacturers, technology firms, NGOs, and safety-focused organisations. These awardees were celebrated for their innovations in vehicle safety, traffic management, and community outreach, aligning with the government’s mission to halve road fatalities in coming years.

Looking Ahead

India records one of the world’s highest numbers of road accidents annually. With over 150,000 fatalities each year, the challenge of ensuring safer roads remains daunting. The integration of road safety into education, combined with stricter enforcement, improved infrastructure, and technology-driven solutions, reflects a holistic approach to tackling the crisis.

As Shri Gadkari concluded, the government’s mission is clear: to transform India’s roads into safer spaces through a combination of policy, innovation, and citizen participation.