KOCHI: A driving simulator has been installed at the Civil Station, Kakkanad here under the Motor Vehicles Department (MVD) for training purposes. The 3D simulator, sponsored by Bharat Petroleum Corporation, will give a real driving experience in varied virtual environments. Inaugurating the simulator on Monday, Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said that similar systems will be installed at other centres of the state.
Road accidents have become a big problem in the state. Though the rate is lower than the national average, the outcome remains disturbing. More than 60 percent of vehicles here are two-wheelers and half of the accidents involve them, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said. It also calls for the attention of the elders and parents to discourage youths from speed-craze and rash driving, he added.
Speaking at the occasion BPCL executive director Prasad Panicker offered to work closely with the government to reduce road accidents. The simulator installed here is the first one under the MVD. The devices will be installed at Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode. Tomin J Thachankari, Benny Behnan MLA, District Collector, joint transport commissioner, deputy transporter commissioner and RTO K M Shaji spoke.