Maruti Suzuki opens 450th driver training school, targets 1.5m safe drivers by 2020

Maruti Suzuki India today inaugurated its 450th Maruti Driving School (MDS) in Pollachi, Tamil Nadu. With this 450th facility, the Maruti Driving School network now covers 212 cities across the country.

In the past five years, Maruti Driving Schools have trained over 530,000 people with nearly 46 percent of them women, in safe driving techniques. In FY2018, over 175,000 people were trained at MDS.

Since the start of the driver programme 13 years ago, the country’s leading carmaker has trained over a million people and is targeting another 500,000 by 2020.

Commenting on the milestone, R S Kalsi, senior executive director, Marketing and Sales, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “Road accidents are cause of over 150,000 deaths every year in India. Driver fault is seen as a prominent reason for such accidents. Maruti Suzuki initiated a structured and contemporary driving skill programme in 2005. Based on international best practices, this Maruti Driving School initiative has so far trained over a million people. We believe that a scientifically designed driving training programme will help to make Indian roads safer. Our aim is to continue expanding the Maruti Driving School network and train 1.5 million people on quality driving skills through MDS by 2020.”

Maruti Driving Schools, which are set up by Maruti Suzuki India in partnership with its dealers, are equipped with advanced driving simulators that replicate Indian driving conditions and also offer practical training in specially designed training vehicles. Training also includes classroom theory based on a scientific and structured curriculum. The trainers at MDS undergo a rigorous driving training by Maruti Suzuki and also follow refresher courses every year to ensure quality training to the people.

In addition to MDS, Maruti Suzuki also manages seven Institutes of Driving and Traffic Research (IDTRs) across the country in partnership with state governments.

Also read: Maruti Suzuki to set up 12 automated driving test centres in Delhi

1,317 accidents and 413 deaths on Indian roads each day in 2016

First India distracted driving study reveals high level of cellphone use