Capacity Building and Quality Standards for Driver Training

In road accidents, among various factors, driver error is reported as a significant contributor. Road Accidents in India, 2016, MoRTH, mentioned driver error accounted for about 84% of crashes in India. The driver error category involves exceeding posted speed limits, drunken driving, wrong-side driving, lane changing, and driver fatigue, which are significant contributors to road accidents. 

Following the necessity of an effective Licensing System to the MoRTH for revamping the process of issuing Driving Licenses, on October 11, 2022, CoERS launched the 3 Gate Licensing system after sharing the proposal to MoRTH. 

The 3GL system has three gates before the candidate is issued a driving licence. The 3GL system evaluates the driver’s knowledge and physiological fitness in Gate 1, the simulator-based evaluation of driving skills in Gate 2, and the on-road driving skills evaluation in Gate 3. The testing framework of 3GL provides an objective way of measuring driver behaviour, their knowledge of road safety and driving etiquette to practice the learnt theory in a simulator and on-road driving conditions before getting a valid Driving Licence. 

To create a long-term impact regarding adherence to road rules, the centre conceived a detailed program to build a simulator-based curriculum for training on road safety rules and driving etiquette for buses and vans operated by schools and colleges in and around Chennai with a vision to help educate children at an impressionable age about road rules. Consequently, CoERS signed an MoU with SNS Foundation, the CSR arm of Anand Group, to train school bus drivers using the developed pedagogy. In addition, CoERS also partnered with Red Chariots to execute the training program. 2009 drivers were trained within a span of 100 days in 42 schools and colleges in Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Tiruvannamalai, and Chengalpattu. 

The centre conducted an event themed ‘Capacity Building and Quality Standards for Driver Training – Factoring the Human in the Journey for Safe Roads’ on July 31, 2023. 

The event launched the 3-Step Training Process, initiated by Shri Shankar Jiwal, IPS, Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu and Professor V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras. 

3STP focuses on using lean methodology for auditing, rating driver training institutes, and capacity building of trainers. This initiative aims to bring a more organised structure within the Driver Training Institutes’s network, introduce a vocation and thus generate employment among skilled trainers. 

Training institutes must upgrade their capacity and capability with the increasing demand for new and renewed driver licenses. These institutes are expected to have the required infrastructure, instructors, training simulators, and vehicles to give on-road practice to candidates. 

To cater to this increasing demand, CoERS launched the 3-Step Training Process (3STP), which includes the following activities: 

• To audit the capacity and preparation of the registered driver training institute for its capability to provide training for knowledge, skill and practice. 

• To provide capacity improvement training for the Trainers based on the gap in the analysis. 

• To register the participating driver training institution in a unified database. 

• To create a registry of driver trainers who shall be imparting the training. 

• To periodically update MoRTH and the State nodal agencies on the capacity and capability of driver training institutions. 

The event included interactive sessions regarding challenges in driver training among driver training institute owners and representatives, industry experts and police officers.