Road accidents are a very common sight on the busy roads of India and the numbers we see daily on the news are proof of it. The road scenario is so unpredictable that at times people fall victim to accidents despite following safety measures. Moved and concerned by the tragic incidents happening around him, AD Joshi, Chief General Manager (retd.), Vizag Steel Plant, set himself on a mission to spread awareness among the public regarding road safety. Around 15 years ago, he started researching the several reasons behind the road accidents we see daily. Today, Joshi is an author, speaker, and road safety activist, who has been selflessly dedicated to the cause.
In an exclusive interview with Yo! Vizag, AD Joshi spoke about his journey and mission. He said, “Over 400 people die every day in India due to road accidents, primarily because of neglecting the basic rules.” Through his survey and research, he had recently authored a book on road safety by the name “Be Your Safest Driver”. The book summarizes various topics such as understanding the brakes of vehicles, night driving hazards, usage of personal protection gear, and many other safety-related issues.
Further, he said that many drivers behave ignorantly on the road, unaware of the consequences. “It is the responsibility of the parents to mould their children into responsible drivers”, he opined. Speaking about his research, he said that he started looking beyond what is seen by the naked eye. “I started analysing a number of road accident videos on YouTube and news channels to understand the reasons behind them. It helped me get a hold of many theories on why they happen”, he added.
Joshi has delivered several lectures at educational institutions in Vizag on road accidents, prepared video tutorials, and also developed an app named Sadak. The app includes video lectures by him on several topics and is available on Google PlayStore. “Be Your Safest Driver”, the book authored by him, is available both as a PDF and hard copy on Amazon, Flipkart, and bookstores in Vizag. The ex-Vizag Steel Plant employee feels if his book can help in avoiding at least a few road accidents, his purpose is served.
“With an aim to reach a wider audience and spread the word before more damage is done, I will be sending the PDF form of my book for free to anyone who is interested”, said the determined man.
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