Road Safety Month: Bengaluru students pledge for safe roads

The second Saturday of January saw school students with colourful uniforms and insignia gather at the Kanteerava outdoor stadium to commemorate the Road Safety Month observed by the state Transport Department and the Bengaluru Traffic Police.

The National Road Safety Month, observed from January 15 to February 14, encourages road users to teach road safety behaviours to minimise crashes and reduce injuries or fatalities.

Cheers floated throughout the stadium as 520 children, including NCC cadets, scouts and guides, and bands, in 20 platoons marched around the stadium. The stands were decked with yellow-coloured signboards with slogan-like road safety messaging such as ‘Speed Thrills but Kills’, ‘Safe Driving, Sane Driving’ printed on them.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Home Minister G Parameshwara, Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy, Shivajinagar MLA Rizwan Arshad, Bengaluru City police commissioner B Dayananda were present. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was briefly present until the parade ended, before rushing to the HAL Airport to fly out. 

After pledging to follow the traffic rules, they released a handbook titled “Molakeyalle Thiddiri” that will be given to primary and secondary schools in the city to create awareness among schoolchildren about traffic rules and road safety.

The home minister G Parameshwara also released the accident analysis report from the past three years and urged students to inculcate safe road user behaviours to protect themselves and
others.

Six traffic police officers, including sub-inspectors and constables from different traffic police stations, and a traffic warden were awarded for exemplary service in the traffic police.

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar cautioned students of the ill effects of violating traffic rules. “According to NCRB data, most deaths on the road were of two-wheelers riders, hence it is important for riders to wear helmets compulsorily,” he said.

“We spend a lot of time in traffic in the city, so we will formulate a plan in collaboration with the BBMP, the police, and the transport department to alleviate congestion on the roads and elevate the city’s standards to world-class levels,” he said.