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Road to safety

Next time the bumper of someone’s car grazes your car’s bumper, or some careless driver knocks your rear view mirror out of place, avoid a clash. Say no to road rage. If you do have a clash with a fellow driver on the road, avoid looking into that person’s eyes directly. The fight may just fizzle out. Such tips for those who drive on the Delhi roads were provided by experts at Burari in a special session to promote a better sense of traffic among motorists.

Known as the Ashok Leyland Driver Trainer Institute, the initiative aims to free the Capital’s roads of the ravages of violent rage. Realising that the much maligned and often overworked and poorly educated Blueline drivers are involved in many accidents, the centre trained 1,345 Blueline drivers last year. Incidentally, the centre specialises in training drivers of medium and heavy vehicles, and training on CNG buses is a speciality.

The institute will also impart training to drivers of low floor large air-conditioned buses which are likely to hit the city roads in big numbers shortly. Besides basic and safe driving practices, here, the emphasis is laid on accident prevention and managing an accident, vehicle maintenance, fuel saving techniques and transportation of hazardous goods. The courses range from a day for owners, to up to 12 weeks for beginners in heavy vehicle driving. It also trains trainers and offers a refresher course for experienced drivers. According to an official of the institute, “Taking training in a school is mandatory for getting a licence or a badge, and even after securing a certificate from here, one has to undergo a trial at the licence issuing authority.”

The efforts are beginning to reap dividends. For instance, sample what driver Amit Dahiya has to say: “I hereafter assure you that my driving habit will not affect the public and cause nuisance to other road users. I became a full-fledged driver after attending the training.” According to an official, safety depends on the 4 Es: Engineering, Enactment, Enforcement and Education.

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