Maruti Suzuki achieves safe driving milestone

Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL), country's largest car maker today announced that over two million people have now been trained in safe driving at its various driving training facilities in the country. The manufacturer started this safe driving initiative in the year 2000, with Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR) in partnership with Government of Delhi. MSIL expects to train another 5 lakh people in safe driving by the year 2014-15. 

Mr Mayank Pareek, Chief Operating Officer (Marketing and Sales), Maruti Suzuki India said, “India needs high-quality training in safe driving on a massive scale. We are happy that we have touched two million people, but realise that this is only a drop in the ocean. Various corporates and all stakeholders have to collaborate to make India’s roads safe for its users We value the support of state governments and dealers in this effort, and are committed to scale up our effort.”

Currently, MSIL manages six IDTRs in Dehradun, Baroda, Rohtak, Bahadurgarh and two in Delhi-NCR, with the support of respective state governments. These training centers offer learner and refresher courses, including to commercial vehicle drivers. Maruti Suzuki also runs 320 Maruti Driving Schools (MDS) across the country in partnership with its dealers. These driving schools offers a mix of class-room and practical training by trained instructors (including women).

To expand it's reach, both the company's models- the IDTRs and MDS also design customized programs for corporate employees, women and police and paramilitary forces. With this initiative, MSIL aims at nurturing driving skills of the people India.

“Nearly 5000 tribal youth in Gujarat, many of them landless workers, have found jobs or turned successful entrepreneurs after being trained in the residential program at IDTR, Baroda, run by Maruti Suzuki in partnership with Gujarat government,” the company stated.