Institute of Driver Training and Research Principal said tyres are the only point of contact between a vehicle and the road, bearing the entire weight of the vehicle and playing a critical role in braking, stability, and control
The collaboration aims to integrate scientific knowledge of tyre maintenance. PIC VIA ARCHANA DAHIWAL
Inadequate awareness about tyre care among motorists is a major factor behind serious and fatal road accidents, particularly on highways, said Sanjay Sasane, the principal of the Institute of Driver Training and Research (IDTR), Pune, highlighting tyre safety as a neglected yet crucial aspect of road safety.
Sasane stated that tyres are the only point of contact between a vehicle and the road, bearing the entire weight of the vehicle and playing a critical role in braking, stability and control.
“Despite this, tyre health is often ignored by motorists, resulting in preventable and sometimes fatal crashes,” he noted.
Sasane added that achieving road safety through awareness and collaboration aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 3.6, which aims to reduce road traffic crashes and fatalities by 50 per cent.
Pune institute, tyre advisory committee join hands to boost safety awareness and driver training
On the occasion of Road Safety Month in January 2026, IDTR Pune signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Tyre Technical Advisory Committee (ITTAC) to strengthen technical capacity building and tyre safety awareness among drivers and the general public.
The collaboration aims to integrate scientific knowledge of tyre maintenance, defect detection and safety practices into structured driver training programmes, ensuring that tyre-related risks are addressed at the grassroots level of road safety education.
The MoU signing ceremony was held in the presence of Sudarshan Singh Gusain, chairman of the Tyre Safety Awareness Wing of the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers’ Association (ATMA); Vinay Vijayvargia, deputy director, ITTAC; Deepak Salunkhe, senior police inspector (traffic branch), Pimpri-Chinchwad; Sourabh Sonawane from Vital Strategies under the Bloomberg Philanthropies road safety initiative; along with officials, trainers, and road safety experts.
As part of the initiative, ITTAC handed over copies of its Tyre Safety Manual and awareness posters explaining tyre nomenclature, maintenance methods, identification of defects and proper tyre care. These materials have been displayed in the automobile laboratory at IDTR as well as at the driver test track used by licensing authorities in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad for conducting confidence tests and driver certification.
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