'The Indian automobile industry plays a vital role in our nation's growth and, as it continues to thrive, it presents us with an opportunity to address road safety challenges,” said Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, Chief Minister, Assam.
In his message for the 24th Edition of the Society for Automotive Fitness & Environment (SAFE) Annual Convention 2023 organised by SIAM, he said there is a need for a culture of safety, wherein education will play a major role.
Assam has taken steps like identifying accident hotspots, awareness drives, and emergency care strategies to address this. “We are intensifying awareness against drink and driving, over speeding, and promoting helmet use, along with increasing highway patrolling,” Dr Sarma said.
The State’s efforts also extend to constructing bus and truck bays, removing encroachments on national highways, and prioritising preparedness strategies.
To outline strategies for the next step towards creating a lasting impact on safe driving habits, road discipline, and the overall safety of vehicles and roads, SIAM, organised its 24th Edition of SAFE Annual Convention 2023 in Guwahati, Assam.
Centred on the theme – 'SAFE Roads, SAFE India: Strategies for Ensuring Safer Transportation,' the event witnessed the presence of many dignitaries discussing road safety and how it can be boosted in India.
Parimal Suklyabaidya, Transport Minister, along with Adil Khan, Secretary of Transport, Prof Dr Nani Gopal Mahanta, Academic Advisor, Syedain Abbassi, Additional Chief Secretary, Govt of Assam and several other distinguished dignitaries. Industry experts from various corporations and OEMs were also present at the convention.
Khan said that India's annual toll of 1.5 lakh lives lost in road accidents is one of the highest in the world, and the country must raise awareness and change driver behaviour to mitigate this crisis.
Assam actively engages with civil society, enforces road safety and traffic laws, and has integrated awareness education into the school curriculum. Extensive IEC campaigns, regular road safety audits, and State-regulated speed limits are in place, he added.
He continued that Assam has introduced 50 contactless services for licensing and vehicle registration, simplified registration processes, digitalised DL and RC, and implemented a comprehensive vehicle scrappage policy, among other measures, to make vehicle-related services more accessible and user-friendly for the public.
Prof Mahanta said that with approximately 65,000 schools in Assam and over 49 lakh students, ensuring road safety is paramount to all.
The Secondary Education Board of Assam (SEBA) has taken proactive steps by including road safety rules and regulations in Assamese textbooks to instil awareness among students.
The Department of Education, Assam also collaborates with the NSS and NCC to conduct various road safety programmes to enhance preparedness and awareness among students and the community.'
A press release from SIAM said that the association, with its members, has been engaging with Governments, corporations, and various stakeholders to address safer mobility across the nation, aligned with SIAM's objective of Building the Nation Responsibly.
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