Road safety may soon become a compulsory subject in schools across the country. The Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways has proposed that the subject be made a compulsory component of school curriculum up to Class VI and is even willing to earmark funds for the same.“We want that Road safety education be imparted in both government and private schools up to the primary level. A proposal in this regard, which has been discussed with the Planning Commission, will soon be sent to the panel for approval. To begin with, a fund of Rs 120 crore will be earmarked for the same,” said a senior Ministry official. With India gaining notoriety for topping road accident death charts, the Ministry seems to have realised the importance of instilling road traffic discipline among school students.“The idea is that a separate period be marked for teaching road safety as a subject. The students would be taught about traffic rules, and how violating them can harm people. Every school would be given around Rs 50,000 for the subject. It will initially be taken as a pilot project in some 7 to 8 states,” added the official.According to the latest figures with the Ministry, around 54 per cent of road accident victims are in the age group of 25 to 65 years; 30 per cent belong to the age group of 14-25 age group and 9 per cent victims are till the age of 14. India last estimated the socio-economic cost of road accidents in 1999-2000 as 3 per cent of its GDP.Over one lakh people were killed in road accidents in India in 2006. With that figure, India has overtaken China in number of road crash deaths. China claims to have constantly brought down road fatalities over the past two to three years by almost 10 per cent per annum.
