Gandhinagar, Dec 16 (IANS) In a step towards enhancing road safety across Gujarat, the Gujarat Road Safety Authority (GRSA), in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE), organised a three-day Road Safety Management Workshop in Gandhinagar from December 15 to 17.

The intensive training programme was aimed at strengthening the technical and operational capacities of officers from the police, Regional Transport Offices (RTOs), Roads and Buildings Department, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and urban local bodies, with the objective of improving the effectiveness of road safety implementation on the ground.

During the workshop, participants received in-depth training on traffic laws, including provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, Central Motor Vehicle Rules and Gujarat Motor Vehicle Rules.

Sessions also focused on scientific investigation of road accidents, the role of traffic control devices such as road signs, signals and markings, and the application of modern technologies in traffic management and accident analysis.

To ensure the training remained practical and need-based, IRTE conducted a preliminary survey and analysis of traffic management issues within the city.

The findings were used to facilitate focused discussions on existing challenges and to identify realistic, implementable solutions.

More than 65 officers from various departments, including police, transport, roads and buildings, NHAI and urban development agencies, actively participated in the programme.

The workshop emphasised inter-departmental coordination, skill development and capacity building as key tools to reduce road accidents in the state.

Officials noted that, beyond public awareness, strengthening institutional capacity is critical to achieving sustainable improvements in road safety.

The collaborative approach adopted through this workshop was seen as a meaningful stride towards building a safer and more resilient road transport system in Gujarat.

Road accidents remain a serious concern in Gujarat, with the state recording over 16,000 road crashes and nearly 7,854 fatalities in 2023, a significant share attributed to overspeeding and risky driving behaviour.

More than 7,200 deaths were linked to speeding alone, while incidents on highways accounted for a large proportion of the fatalities.

Additionally, injuries from traffic accidents continue to surge, with thousands being hospitalised across districts like Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara, and an average of nearly 20 people injured every hour in recent years.

Over multiple years, tens of thousands have lost their lives on the state’s roads, highlighting ongoing challenges in enforcement, traffic discipline and road safety awareness.

–IANS

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