National Road Safety Week (RSW) kicked off across the State on Monday with a Walk for Safety from Jila School to Marhabadi Ground in the city organised by Traffic Police. The Traffic Police organised host of other programmes on the day at various locations also to spread awareness towards road safety.
“A conversation with students and parents was organised at DAV School, Hehal. We also organised a quiz competition at Sido-Kanhu Park other than a road safety awareness drive at Albert Ekka Chowk in the evening,” said Traffic SP Sanjay Ranjan Singh on Monday.
Similar kinds of activities were reported from other parts of the State also on the occasion of 28th Road Safety Week, which is organised as per directive of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of the Government of India. Singh said that his prime focus was to aware parents about the untimely demise of hundreds of teens who lost their lives due to non-commitment to road safety.
“In many cases, it is parents who ignore their kids going out on bike or scooter without helmet and other safety gears. Underage driving, which contrary to be forbidden is seen encouraged in many families, is crime at first place. Second, it is not only the loss of a family if that minor meets an accident, but the loss of society and country. We are organising conversations, quizzes and trying other means to educate minors and parents to understand this,” said Singh.
As per data of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the State has lost over 170 minors below age of 14 and over 380 teens between ages of 14-18 in year 2015 alone. “We will run extensive campaigns to bring this figure to minimum level. We will also try to rope in some celebrities, as everyone listens to them,” said Singh.
Meanwhile, an awareness programme was organised by SAIl Safety Organisation (SSO) for employees of SAIl units at Ranchi. Ceremonial safety flag was hoisted by SSO Executive Director SK Saha in presence of RDCIS ED BN Thakur and others. It was followed by an educative video films on ‘Road Safety’ in the main auditorium. The message on Traffic discipline, importance of following road safety rules, wearing seat belts, crash helmets was conveyed through the captivating video films produced by National Safety Council, Mumbai. Similar campaigns on Road Safety were organised at various SAIl plants & units also at their respective places.