Telangana makes 2.5-hour online safety course mandatory for learner's driving licence
New drivers in Telangana will soon be required to complete a mandatory online safety course before obtaining a learner's driving licence. The Telangana Online Safety Course, currently being run on a pilot basis at the Kukatpally Regional Transport Office (RTO), includes instructional videos on defensive driving, avoiding road rage, and safe steering wheel positions.
One of the key lessons in the course explains why holding the steering wheel in the '9-3' or '8-4' position is now considered safer than the conventional '10-2' position, especially in modern cars equipped with airbags. According to the course material, in the event of a collision, airbags deploy with significant force, and drivers holding the steering wheel lower can greatly reduce the risk of arm fractures.
Speaking to The Hindu, Transport Commissioner K Ilambarithi confirmed that the course is mandatory for all applicants. “So far, 1,159 people have registered for the course, and 973 have taken it,” he said.
The course features around 120 videos sourced from CCTV cameras and dashcams, illustrating examples of good and poor driving. Officials say none of the videos are graphic or distressing.
The department has drawn inspiration from similar initiatives in cities such as New York. While comparable online courses in other countries typically last between five and seven hours, Mr. Ilambarithi said the Telangana course has been designed to be completed in a reasonable two-and-a-half hours.
The course comprises six modules, each followed by a quiz. Topics include knowledge of vehicle controls, driving theory, duties of a driver under the Motor Vehicles (Driving) Regulations, 2017, maintaining an escape path for safer driving, the concepts of “position, speed, look” and “mirror, signal, movement”, and electronic enforcement of traffic violations. Applicants must pass each quiz before proceeding to the next module.
“The course is free to the applicant. You can take it anywhere and on any device with a camera. UNICEF funded about 60% of the content cost, and the website has been developed and is maintained by TG Online,” Mr. Ilambarithi said.
Facial recognition is a crucial part of the course. The device used must have a camera, and it must remain switched on throughout the course. If the camera does not detect a face, the module automatically pauses until the user repositions themselves. Periodic facial recognition checks are also built into the video lessons to verify that the applicant remains present. Users can pause and resume the course later.
Mr. Ilambarithi noted that feedback from users has been optimistic, with many expressing that the course improves awareness and could lead to better adherence to traffic rules.
The course is expected to be rolled out across the State within a month and will be formally launched by Minister for Transport Ponnam Prabhakar. It will be available in Telugu, English, Hindi, and Urdu.
