IIT Madras, Ford collaborate to train young drivers in Tamil Nadu with road safety knowledge

NEW DELHI: Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, Center of Excellence for Road Safety (CoERS) partnered with Ford to address raising concerns about road accidents involving young student drivers today, on September 12. The initiative aims to train and equip thousands of students from across 240 schools in Tamil Nadu with road safety knowledge and skills, which will be imparted to them by master trainers.

The objective of the new initiative by IIT Madras and Ford focuses on providing practical training to students and also puts emphasis on responsible driving. Earlier, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between CoERS and Ford on August 30, towards this collaboration.

“As per a report on ‘Road Accidents in India 2022’ by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), as many as 42,878 out of total 1,68,491 fatal road accident victims in the year 2022 were under 25 years of age,” stated the notice.

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IIT-M, Ford initiative: ‘Master trainers’

With the help of these trained individuals, CoERS and Ford aim to reduce road accidents and create a safe future for all student drivers. The master trainers will further impart training in their respective schools and traffic jurisdictions creating multiplier effects in driving practices, traffic rules, and hazard awareness.

Additionally, capacity-building sessions for teachers and wardens on road safety from a human behaviour perspective will also be held.

“Inculcating road safety practices in childhood is vital as it helps embed these habits into long-term memory, making them a natural part of their lifestyle. By teaching road safety early, society can ensure that safe behaviours become second nature, helping to save lives on roads,” added the IIT Madras statement.

Speaking on the occasion, the director of IIT Madras, V Kamakoti, said: “IIT Madras is committed to driving social change through various initiatives. …We aim to sensitise the younger generation — the drivers of tomorrow — towards safer driving practices,”

Adding to this, CSR head, Sreenivasan Janakiraman, said: “This collaboration with CoERS, IIT Madras to inculcate activity-based learning pedagogy helps nurture the next generation of safe drivers”.