**Policy Summary: National Road Safety Initiative**
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, is launching a national initiative to integrate road safety lessons into school and college curricula across all regional languages. This initiative, announced by Union Minister Shri Nitin Gadkari at the 7th Edition of the FICCI Road Safety Awards Symposium 2025, aims to cultivate responsible road behavior through early education and awareness.
Key components of the initiative include:
* **Educational Integration:** Implementing road safety education in regional languages within school and college curricula.
* **Bharat NCAP:** Adoption of the Bharat New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) to enhance vehicle safety standards.
* **Bus Body Code Enforcement:** Strict enforcement of the Bus Body Code, alongside mandatory road safety audits.
* **Truck Driver Safety:** Introduction of air-conditioned truck cabins and fatigue detection systems to improve working conditions for truck drivers.
* **Public Awareness Campaigns:** Launching nationwide awareness campaigns featuring public figures like Amitabh Bachchan and musical collaborations with Shankar Mahadevan, translated into 22 Indian languages.
* **RahVeer Scheme:** Implementing the RahVeer Scheme, offering a ₹25,000 reward per incident to incentivize Good Samaritans who assist road accident victims.
* **Pedestrian Safety:** Construction of lift-enabled foot overbridges and promotion of scooter-accessible infrastructure to improve pedestrian safety and inclusivity.
* **Data-Driven Audits:** Conducting data-driven road safety audits to identify high-risk areas, analyze accident causes, and implement corrective measures.
* **Volunteer Outreach:** Encouraging citizens, including retired professionals, to volunteer in schools and colleges to promote road safety awareness.
The initiative emphasizes collective responsibility and active public participation, alongside strengthened regulations, enforcement, and infrastructure development. The FICCI Road Safety Awards Symposium 2025 recognized companies and institutions making significant contributions to road safety. The government is committed to reducing road fatalities through these multi-faceted efforts, emphasizing the importance of citizen compliance with road rules and traffic norms.
Key Entities Referenced
Nitin Gadkari: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways
Dharmendra Pradhan: Education Minister
Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH): The government ministry responsible for road transport policy.
New Delhi: The location of the FICCI Road Safety Awards Symposium 2025. It is a city and the capital territory of India.
FICCI Road Safety Awards Symposium 2025: A symposium focused on road safety, with the theme Vision Zero: Life First, Always.
Bharat NCAP New Car Assessment Program: A program for enhanced vehicle safety.
Amitabh Bachchan: An Indian actor involved in road safety awareness campaigns.
RahVeer Scheme: A scheme to reward Good Samaritans who assist road accident victims.
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
Shri Nitin Gadkari says, educating students in
regional languages on road safety is a key step
towards nurturing responsible citizens
Posted On: 04 SEP 2025 5:18PM by PIB Delhi
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari says, MoRTH, in collaboration with
Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, is integrating road safety lessons into school and college
curricula across all regional languages. This national-level initiative was officially inaugurated during a
programme held at a Central School, marking the beginning of a widespread awareness drive targeting youth
across the country.
He was addressing the 7th Edition of the FICCI Road Safety Awards & Symposium 2025, centered around
the theme “Vision Zero: Life First, Always.” in New Delhi today. Shri Gadkari emphasized the importance of
collective responsibility and active public participation to bring about lasting change on the roads.
“While we continue to strengthen regulations, enforcement, and infrastructure, the biggest challenge
remains—changing human behaviour on the road, despite numerous advancements in technology. The
best way to do this is to reach our children early—with education, with awareness, and with training,”
Shri Gadkari stated.
Other key initiatives and announcements highlighted during the event included:
Adoption of Bharat NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) for enhanced vehicle safety.
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Enforcement of the Bus Body Code and road safety audits
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Air-conditioned truck cabins and fatigue detection systems to ensure safer working conditions for
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truck drivers.
Awareness campaigns featuring icons like Amitabh Bachchan and musical collaboration with
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Shankar Mahadevan, translated into 22 Indian languages to create nationwide awareness.
₹25,000 reward per incident under the Rah-Veer Scheme to encourage Good Samaritans who assist
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road accident victims.
Mandatory lift-enabled foot overbridges and promotion of scooter-accessible infrastructure to
(cid:108)
enhance pedestrian safety and inclusivity.
Data-driven road safety audits to identify high-risk areas, analyze root causes of accidents, and
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implement corrective actions.
Outreach efforts encouraging citizens, including retired professionals, to volunteer in schools and
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colleges to spread road safety awareness.
Concluding his address, Shri Gadkari reiterated that while the government continues to introduce progressive
policies and safety frameworks, it remains a shared responsibility of every citizen to follow road rules, respect
traffic norms, and extend help during emergencies.
Organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI), the event honoured
companies and institutions making outstanding contributions to road safety in support of the Government’s
mission to reduce road fatalities. Awardees included top automotive manufacturers, tech firms, and safety-
focused organizations recognized for their impactful innovations and initiatives.*****
SR/GDH/SB
(Release ID: 2163758)