Traffic police’s safety campaign deserves praise

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The buzzword is safe, and the two years of the pandemic should have taught us that safety in all aspects should be priority. The Mumbai traffic police launched a campaign to teach students the importance of adhering to traffic rules and defensive driving techniques, a report said in our Sunday paper.

The traffic police has created a detailed module that includes a collection of videos that will be shown to children. They are now urging institutes through their divisional chowkis to allow them access to the students to talk to them, illustrate through videos, cite statistics and get the message across.

Though a lot of schools and colleges may break for summer holidays soon, they need to schedule in this vital engagement when they can. Children and young people are more receptive, soaking up lessons like a sponge does water. At that age, lessons learnt tend to stick and are hugely important in today's scenario when we need traffic safety from the time young people learn to drive.

Our roads are getting more challenging every day. More rush, more cars, burgeoning two-wheelers, pedestrians trying to negotiate dug-up stretches, thanks to all the work on in the city. Different modes of transport coming in, buses plying on feeder routes… Mumbai has pressed the gas pedal when it comes to the commuting landscape, which is in rapid flux.

The young people have to be taught that it is ‘cool' to follow the rules. There is no glory or lure in racing on the roads like crazy people, for a thrill or a few likes on social media. Young schoolchildren must be taught crossing safety and using footpaths where they can.

We cannot think of a better initiative from the people who are in charge of Mumbai roads. One does hope schools and colleges respond, and this goes ahead impacting hearts, minds
and habits.