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With its urgency and timely message, the Rajasthan Declaration squarely reminds our safety woes of losing over 1, 05,000 lives in 2006 on Indian roads due to rising accidents. Add to that an estimated 2.2 million serious road traffic injuries (RTIs) causing both social and economic turmoil and burdens that eat away close to 3 % of our National Gross Domestic Products (GDP). India accounts for over 10% of road deaths in the world today and facing unparallel crisis. With urbanization and motorization on the rise, our problems are only likely to get worst on Indian roads.

Studies have shown that over 80 % the road accidents in India are caused due to driver negligence or error. Research has also pointed out that most of the road accidents are preventable by instituting measures that improve drivers, vehicles and road environments.

To improve road safety in India by focusing on “Driver”, the Government of Rajasthan in partnership with the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE) organised a National Workshop on “Driver Licensing Systems” in Jaipur on 25 & 26th April 2008.

Workshop Partners
Jaipur Development Authority (JDA), MUSKAAN of Jaipur and the FIA Foundation (the United Kingdom) and IRTE join hands to advance the above key objectives at the National Workshop in Jaipur. 130 participants from 16 States and Union Territories of India deliberated in six technical sessions at the two-day workshop. Participants included members of Transport Departments, Traffic Police, Urban Development Departments, Automobile Associations, Automobile & Oil Industry, Research Departments and Institutes, NGO’s and the Military Police.

Key Objectives
The Jaipur effort builds on the theme already raised by the “Goa Declaration and Recommendations” of 2002 workshop on Driver Training (held on November 15-16 at Panaji, Goa) emphasized that:

• road fatalities on Indian roads is unacceptable,
• a well-enforced testing and licensing system is essential to ensure necessary
  skills and experience, and
• Governments must set standards and enforce the licensing systems efficiently
  and effectively.