Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Mar 25: Nearly a year after introducing its Road Safety Policy 2025, the Goa government is in the final stages of proposing Regional Driver Training Centres (RDTCs) in North and South Goa to strengthen road safety measures.

Officials said locations for the centres are currently being identified, with a proposal set to be submitted to the government soon. The initiative is a key component of the state’s road safety policy aimed at improving driver training and licensing standards.

The move follows a directive from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), which in February 2025 announced a nationwide plan to establish 1,600 driving training institutes with a financial outlay of Rs 4,500 crore. The ministry had highlighted driver error as a major cause of road accidents.

Authorities said the proposed centres will follow MoRTH guidelines and offer structured, high-quality training while ensuring scientific assessment of drivers before issuing licences.

Data shows Goa’s vehicle population stood at 14.62 lakh as of March 24, 2026, including over 9.36 lakh two-wheelers and 3.83 lakh light motor vehicles. Between January 2022 and January 2026, the state recorded 2,176 road accidents, with a significant number of fatalities occurring in self-accidents and multi-vehicle crashes.

The policy aligns with recommendations of the Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety and global goals under the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety, which aims to reduce road deaths and injuries by half by the end of the decade.

In addition, the state plans to introduce Automated Testing Stations (ATS) to improve vehicle fitness checks, reduce manual intervention, and enhance transparency in inspections.