The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Championing the cause of safe driving

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Tuesday, Feb 26, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Championing the cause of safe driving

S. Sandeep Kumar

A retired MVI has taken the initiative, particularly for those driving heavy vehicles

M. Laxma Reddy establishes Road Safety Education and Defensive Driving Institute
Conducts refresher courses where drivers are provided with Rs. 1 lakh personal insurance

- PHOTO: NAGARA GOPAL

Novel initiative: An instructor of Road Safety Education and Defensive Driving Institute explaining to trainee drivers the components of a vehicle engine in Hyderabad on Monday.

HYDERABAD: He believes in the simple principle of prevention being better than cure. With an experience of over two decades in inspecting thousands of vehicles involved in accidents and ascertaining the causes, a retired Motor Vehicle Inspector has taken up an initiative to promote safe driving among drivers, particularly those driving heavy vehicles.

To strengthen his initiative, Maddi Laxma Reddy even established Road Safety Education and Defensive Driving Institute (REDDI) in 2004 at Madhapur.

Every year apart from training heavy vehicle drivers, Mr. Reddy conducts two-day refresher courses where in they are provided with one lakh personal insurance (one year), medical tests, stipend of Rs. 150, food and awareness on HIV/AIDS and all this free of cost.

Recently, a similar course was conducted at REDDI and St. Anthony’s ITI BHEL, R.C. Puram, and over 500 drivers attended the course.

Majority of the accidents occur during nights and in the wee hours.

Heavy vehicle drivers, especially those in the unorganised sector despite possessing years of experience, with sheer negligence lose their lives.

Unfortunately there are not much of opportunities for them to undergo refresher training and improve their skills.

To curb this attitude and ensure road safety, drivers at REDDI undergo classes conducted by experts from traffic police, transport department and RTC with audio-video presentations, training on dummy vehicles etc, says Mr. Reddy.