Thursday, December 22, 2011


Dr. C.P. Joshi Releases Calender & Publicity Materials on Road Safety

Dr. C. P. Joshi, the Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways released the “Annual Calender and publicity related materials viz. posters, booklets and study materials” prepared by the Ministry at a function here today. He also announced the slogan for this year’s road safety week as “Accidents bring tears, Safety brings cheers”. Road safety week for 2012 is to start on the new year day. He called upon all stakeholders like Transport Authorities, Traffic Police, Health departments, schools, transport associations, voluntary organisations etc in celebrating the road safety week during 1st to 7th January,2012. He has said that the Ministry has focussed on different age groups of school going children so that they learn about road safety . 

 The Minister has said that the Statistics show that almost 80% of road accident take place due to driver’s fault. This indicates need of a change in attitude. If people follow traffic rules and adopt simple road safety measures, a large number of fatal accidents can be avoided and thousands of precious lives can be saved. Government need to focus particularly in the younger generations to inculcate respect for traffic rules. If it implant the basics of road safety in the minds of Children, it can surely arrest the increasing trend of road accidents. 

 He expressed his concern on the road accidents and fatalities which continue to rise every year. Over 1.25 lakh persons were killed in around 4.8 lakh road accidents reported in the country during the year 2009. Road safety being a multi dimensional issue can be addressed effectively only with the active cooperation from all stakeholders particularly the Media. The print and electronic media can play a very meaningful role in spreading awareness about road safety issues and the need to follow the traffic rules and traffic signs and make our roads safe. 

 He appealed to all stakeholders to join hands with the Government to make roads safer and reversing the increasing trend of road accidents. 

 Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has prepared road safety materials like Wall calendar, posters in Hindi, English and regional languages, children activity books, book on road safety signages and signs and computer mouse pad for free distribution to all Central Government Ministries, all State Governments and 10000 schools spread across the country as a part of an awareness campaign on road safety. Ten lakh wall calendars printed for free distribution. While the beautiful pictures in the calendar decorate office rooms and housesm the road safety messages below the pictures will get implanted in the minds. 

 Four children activity books have also been brought out by Ministry for different age groups of school going children so that they learn about road safety . These books contain simple road safety messages conveyed in a very playful manner making it easy to read and remember. 

 A complete book on Signs and signages has also been developed by the Ministry as the Knowledge of road safety signs and signages is vital for safe driving. Ten lakh copies of it have been printed for free distribution to State Governments, schools and other stakeholders across the country. 

 Ten lakh computer mouse pads depicting road safety signs both mandatory as well as warning sign for use by the computer savvy younger generation have also been prepared for free distribution to school children.

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