2,500 Gumla students pledge to ensure parents wear helmets during festive season

With road accidents tending to rise during the festive season, authorities in Gumla have launched a road safety awareness drive, urging people to exercise caution and strictly follow traffic rules.

As part of the campaign, around 2,500 students of St Ignatius High School participated in a special road safety session held during the school’s morning assembly and took a collective pledge to follow traffic rules and promote safe driving practices among their families.

The programme was organised under the directions of Gumla Deputy Commissioner Dileshwar Mahto and District Transport Officer Satendra Mahto, with the objective of creating greater awareness about road safety and reducing accidents in the district.

Addressing the students, the road safety team warned that the coming months, marked by a series of festivals, often witness an increase in road accidents. With the Karam festival approaching, the officials stressed that celebrations should not come at the cost of safety.

Students were specifically urged to ensure that their parents wear helmets whenever they ride two-wheelers. The children were told that even a moment of negligence on the road could result in serious and permanent injuries.

The officials also emphasised that while police and traffic personnel are responsible for maintaining road safety, individuals must take primary responsibility for their own safety because help may not always be immediately available in the event of an accident.

The students were advised to use only certified ISI-marked helmets, wear seat belts while travelling in cars and strictly avoid overspeeding, drunk driving, triple riding and using mobile phones while driving.

As part of the campaign, the 2,500 students were given the responsibility of spreading the road safety message at home, particularly during Karam and other upcoming festivals.

At the end of the programme, the students took a pledge to follow traffic rules themselves, encourage their family members to do the same and create awareness about road safety in their communities.

Father Manohar Khoya, Road Safety Manager Prabhash Kumar, IT Assistant Mantu Rawani, Road Engineering Analyst Pranay Kanshi and teachers of the school were present during the awareness programme and contributed to its successful conduct.