Road safety seminar in Patna
By Neeraj Kumar
Patna: In a bid to enhance public awareness about road safety and encourage responsible behaviour among motorists, the Transport Department and the Bihar Road Safety Council organised a Safe Driving Training Programme. A total of 224 vehicle drivers took part in the initiative, which primarily focused on motivating people to assist victims of road accidents.
During the training sessions, special emphasis was laid on the legal provisions related to helping accident victims. Participants were informed in detail about the *Rah-Veer (Good Samaritan) Scheme*, under which a person who assists a road accident victim is rewarded with ₹25,000 as a mark of appreciation. Drivers were given a clear message to step forward and help victims instead of retreating in the aftermath of an accident.
Under the Good Samaritan law, individuals who come forward to help accident victims are provided legal protection, with the administration standing firmly by them. Timely assistance can save lives, and such individuals were described as true heroes of society. The scheme is expected to not only improve road safety but also strengthen humanitarian values.
Addressing the programme, Transport Secretary Raj Kumar said that vehicle drivers play a crucial role in road accidents, as they are often the first to reach the spot. Their promptness, courage and human sensitivity can prove decisive in saving lives. He termed helping accident victims, rather than fleeing the scene, as a social responsibility of drivers.
The Transport Secretary also appealed to drivers to strictly adhere to traffic rules. Maintaining safe speed limits, wearing seat belts and helmets, avoiding mobile phone use while driving and refraining from driving when fatigued were highlighted as essential habits to ensure personal and public safety. He said the government’s objective is to reduce road accidents and establish a safe transport system.
During the session, drivers were trained in basic traffic rules, identification of road signs, lane discipline, prevention of over-speeding, safe night driving, precautions during adverse weather conditions and basic first-aid measures. It was emphasised that following traffic rules is not merely to avoid penalties, but to save lives.
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