By Tajdar H. Zaidi
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh, which year after year tops the country in road accident deaths, has finally taken a decisive step to address the root cause — untrained and reckless drivers who treat traffic rules as optional and show little regard for the lives of others.
The state government has cleared a sweeping plan to establish Institutes of Driving Training and Research (IDTRs) and Regional Driver Training Centres (RDTCs) across 24 districts, aiming to modernise driver education, make licensing transparent, and curb the state’s horrific road toll.
A Sobering Backdrop: UP Leads in Fatal Accidents
Official records paint a grim picture: in just the first six months of 2025, 8,500 people lost their lives in road crashes in Uttar Pradesh. In 2024, the figure stood at 24,118 deaths, while in 2023 the state logged 23,652 fatalities. These numbers are not just statistics — behind each one is a family devastated, often with breadwinners killed or survivors left handicapped for life.
Experts consistently highlight one major factor: driver error. Most car and two-wheeler drivers in UP drive with little or no road sense.
Lane discipline, speed limits, use of indicators, or even the basic courtesy of sharing the road are often ignored.
Rash overtaking, drunk driving, and reckless two-wheeler stunts have become everyday sights. The result: not just fatalities, but countless people left with lifelong disabilities, condemning families to unending mental, emotional, and financial trauma.
The New Centres: Building Scientific Driver Training
To change this dangerous reality, the government’s approval on September 5 mandates nine flagship IDTRs in Lucknow, Ballia, Gorakhpur, Agra, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Jhansi, Kanpur Nagar, Shahjahanpur, and Prayagraj.
Another 15 districts — including Varanasi, Bareilly, Meerut, Moradabad, Aligarh, Mathura, Ayodhya, and Saharanpur — will house RDTCs.
Currently, UP has only one IDTR in Rae Bareli and no RDTCs. With this expansion, the state is preparing to overhaul how drivers are trained and tested.
IDTRs: The Flagship Hubs
Each IDTR will be spread over 10–15 acres, equipped with automated driving test tracks, state-of-the-art simulators for both light and heavy vehicles, classrooms, workshops, hostels, and medical testing facilities. They will also serve as research hubs on road safety, training-of-trainer academies, and models for other centres nationwide.
RDTCs: Closer to Citizens
The RDTCs, though smaller (around 3 acres each), will serve as accessible regional facilities. These will cater to induction training for new drivers and refresher courses for professional drivers, such as bus, truck, freight, and school van operators.
They will also offer hazardous goods handling modules and fully automated driving tests. Many centres will operate on a public-private partnership (PPP) model to speed up roll-out and ensure sustainability.
Tech-Driven Transparency
Both IDTRs and RDTCs will follow a standardised, technology-driven training model aligned with the National Skills Qualification Framework. Automated test tracks fitted with sensors and video analytics will assess manoeuvres like reverse driving, parallel parking, and hill starts — reducing human discretion and eliminating bribery.
Learners can enrol online, practice on simulators under diverse conditions (night driving, rain, hilly terrain), attend traffic law and first-aid classes, and finally undergo an objective, sensor-based test. Successful candidates will receive accredited certificates, simplifying the licensing process.
Wider Benefits
The government expects multiple benefits:
- Safer roads through disciplined, skilled drivers.
- Fewer accidents, reducing both fatalities and life-long handicaps.
- Lower household costs, with families spared from medical expenses and income loss caused by crashes.
- Better public transport safety, especially for school-going children.
- New jobs through a pipeline of certified commercial drivers and instructors for the booming logistics and EV mobility sectors.
Special provisions will ensure inclusivity — women-only batches, female instructors, and disability-friendly facilities. Transparent fee structures, biometric attendance, and real-time dashboards will prevent exploitation by middlemen.
A Turning Point for Road Safety
Transport Commissioner Brajesh Narain Singh called the project a “turning point” for the state. “Our mission is simple: make licensing fair, training scientific, and roads safer.
By expanding IDTRs and RDTCs with simulators, automated testing, and data-led oversight, Uttar Pradesh will set a new national benchmark for road safety and citizen service,” he said.
Officials confirmed that land identification and project reports will begin immediately, with centres expected to be operational within 18–24 months.
The Larger Message
This initiative is more than just infrastructure — it is about changing mindsets. Every rash overtaking manoeuvre, every scooter swerving blindly into traffic, every overloaded truck is a potential death sentence. A single careless moment on the road can cripple a family forever.
The government’s decision is an acknowledgment that India’s road safety crisis, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, will not improve until drivers are scientifically trained, tested fairly, and held accountable.
It’s high time that the culture of reckless driving gives way to responsibility — because behind every accident statistic is a shattered family.
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