For the first time, local government leaders are familiarized with road safety rules during a daylong program on Friday. The Road Safety and Transport Authority (RSTA) is urging local leaders to sensitize and create awareness on road safety and rules to the local people.
This is an initiative by the RSTA In an attempt to reach every corner of the country on road safety issues. Creating awareness on road safety among the public is a shared responsibility. In doing so local leaders can play a vital role. Local leaders including Gups, Mangmi, Tshogpas and Administrative officers of Trashigang and Trashi Yangtse attended the awareness programme.
We cannot call all the drivers of rural and remote places to towns and conduct awareness. Therefore, it would be better if the local leaders could create awareness among their people. Since the leaders always deal with people, one of them could brief the people not to drive after drinking, not to carry excess passenger and loads during their meetings,” said Sonam Dhendup, Programme Officer with RSTA, Thimphu.
Officials said the main problems in villages are motorists carrying excess passenger and loads besides drunk driving and unlicensed driving.
“The vehicles in remote places carry loads and passengers where there are no taxi and bus services. While inspecting, we found them carrying excess loads and passengers, which is a concern for road safety. Thinking that, they are not aware of the changes in policies and rules, it is important to brief them. They might not be aware of the rules, but some of them do it knowingly too,” he added.
A similar program was also conducted for local leaders of Monggar and Lhuentse, and the authority plans to conduct it in all the Dzongkhags.
