Pune: The Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) is set to roll out a unique awareness initiative called the ‘Road Safety Trek’, aimed at educating school students and drivers about traffic norms through outdoor activities and practical learning. Scheduled to begin on June 1, the programme focuses on students from classes 5 to 10, as well as school van drivers.
The campaign is designed to combine learning with nature and will take place every Saturday at Dive Ghat, where the RTO has developed a green zone by planting 6,000 plants from 110 species. The aim is to make road safety education engaging and memorable by blending it with real-world outdoor experiences.
Each session will involve around 600 students per day, contributing to the broader goal of reaching out to the over 10 lakh students across 7,963 schools in Pune. Students will be guided through traffic rules and regulations while participating in nature-based games and activities.
In addition to student participation, school van drivers will also be trained in essential emergency response techniques such as fire extinguisher handling and basic safety protocols.
Participants will receive a Road Safety Kit, which includes creative materials like compasses, stickers, greeting cards, and friendship bands, each embedded with safety messages to reinforce learning.
The initiative is based on the understanding that early education in road safety can help build lifelong habits. By equipping students with this knowledge early, the RTO hopes not only to reduce future traffic violations but also to foster a culture where young citizens actively promote responsible road behaviour among peers and adults alike.
