BHUBANESWAR: Women will lead the road safety drive in the state soon. Encouraged by the drop in accident cases during the national road safety month in January, the state government has decided to launch a zero accident month campaign by involving women SHG members.
As part of the campaign, the government will deploy innovative and evidence-based interventions to minimise accidents, promote responsible driving behaviours, and cultivate a safety-first mindset among commuters. The women members will play a pivotal role as ambassadors of change, leading awareness drives, engaging with communities, and demonstrating leadership in mobility solutions.
At a meeting chaired by principal secretary to Commerce and Transport department Usha Padhee here on Wednesday, it was decided to involve women in leading the awareness drive and persuading the male members of their respective families to follow traffic rules and refrain from drunk driving.
“Through zero accident day, we are planning to empower communities, particularly women, to lead the charge in making our streets safer, smarter, and more inclusive,” said Padhee. IIT-Madras has been asked to prepare the overall strategy on how to launch the campaign and maintain the momentum throughout the year to ensure at least 50 per cent drop in accident cases.
In January, CM Mohan Charan Majhi had launched the ‘come home safe’ campaign following which the number of accidents and fatalities dropped as compared to the corresponding period last year.