Geneva based International Road Federation (IRF) , working for better and safer roads world wide has launched a new initiative “Drive Safe India” to improve all aspects of safety associated with truck drivers and transport of goods on Indian roads.

The IRF has launched initiative in India in league with global corporates Shell, Michelin and AXA with an aim to develop a voluntary industry code to reduce traffic accidents and fatalities by transforming commercial vehicle standards, driver care and training, vehicle financing, insurance, and road haulage contracts.

As part of this initiative, a database of “safe” drivers and haulage companies will be developed. The industry code will be based on pan India research and best practices from around the world. The impact of this initiative will be monitored using real time and collected data.

“In India, more than 11% of all fatalities from traffic accidents, or over 16,000 lives, involve commercial vehicles! This loss of life, and the accompanying damage to goods and property, has a huge human and financial cost to society and business. There is an urgent need to reduce, and eventually eliminate this unnecessary loss of life.” Said MR K K Kapila, chairman, International Road Federation (IRF)

“Once the Drive Safe India Code will be ready it will adopted and used by the participating partners to improve care, training, and safety of their drivers, goods and vehicles involved in transporting their goods. Over time. the Drive Safe India Code is expected to become an industry standard used by the majority, if not all, corporates, across all sectors of the Indian economy that uses road infrastructure to transport raw materials, intermediate, and finished products. The adoption of this code is expected to lead to a large reduction in the number of truck accidents and associated fatalities.” Said Mr Kapila

In the coming months, the launch partners of the Drive Safe India Initiative will seek to increase the number of partners to join this initiative.

The Drive Safe India Code will be formally launched at CROSSROADS World Road Meeting 2017 that is to be held in Delhi, India from 14 – 17 November 2017.

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