In a bid to usher a new driving culture in Kerala, the Motor Vehicles department (MVD) has made road safety classes mandatory for all driving licence applicants under the Ernakulam Regional Transport Office (RTO) from December 2.
Applicants will be required to attend the class after obtaining their learner’s licence. This follows a 2019 directive from the then Transport Commissioner, which had not been enforced due to the pandemic. Aimed at improving driving culture and reducing road accidents, which have caused over 4,000 deaths annually in the State, the current Transport Commissioner, C.H. Nagaraju, has decided to implement the mandate.
Earlier, mandatory attendance in road safety classes hosted by the MVD in various districts, the Institute of Driver Training and Research (IDTR) at Edappal, and institutions like SCMS Institute for Road Safety and Transportation (SiRST) at Karukutty, was limited to drivers who caused accidents due to negligence or had their licences suspended for rash driving.
“From December 2, all fresh applicants and those who have applied for additional endorsement and revalidation will have to attend the mandatory road safety class that will be held at one of the educational institutions at Kalamassery. Only those who attend the class will be permitted to participate in the test to obtain driving licence. The sessions will include new road safety guidelines in keeping with advancements in automobiles and road construction and also amendments made to the Motor Vehicles Act in the recent past,” said an official from the Enforcement RTO office at Kakkanad.
Sources from MVD mentioned that individuals wishing to update their knowledge of recent safety guidelines, as well as those penalised for minor traffic offences, could also attend the sessions. “All attendees should bring a copy of their driving licence or learner’s licence, an identity proof, and a mobile phone with a number that is registered with the MVD,” they added.
Published - November 07, 2024 01:15 am IST
