Karachi University teaches students to drive with care

Varsity has collaborated with motorways police to offer road safety and driving course

KARACHI: If you want to learn driving and traffic rules then you are in luck.

Sardar Yasin Malik Professional Development Centre at University of Karachi (KU) has collaborated with the National Highways and Motorway Police to teach the course to university students and faculty. Staff of private companies can also enroll in the course. The four-week long professional driving course, 'Defensive Driving Course (DDC)', is for everyone who wishes to perfect the art of driving.



Comparing DDC to other driving schools, Sardar Yasin Malik Professional Development Centre co-director Lt Col (Rtd) Muhammad Ayaz Ansari, said the motorway police has designed the course and it is conducted by their on-field officers.



Observing driving on highways, the motorway police understood that most drivers are used to violating traffic rules in cities, so they continue to break rules on the highways as well, explained senior patrol officer Naeem Khan.

"We decided to improve their driving in the cities," he claimed, adding that Road Safety Training Institute is working actively in all the provinces to educate drivers.

Course structure

"The course comprises one week of theory and three weeks of practical learning," he said, adding that the training costs Rs2,500 and the motorways police awards certificates to participants on completion of the course.

The theoretical part focuses on road safety and traffic laws, said Khan while talking to The Express Tribune. "There are many people who have been driving since decades, but are not aware of traffic rules," he added.



The practical learning is also divided into three phases. In the first phase, students are taught basics of driving. Then, they help students learn reverse and edge cutting.  In the third phase, the students are allowed to drive on main roads.

The centre has trained 111 students since November 2015. "We enroll maximum of 30 students in one batch so that the instructors can give proper attention to each candidate," said Ansari. Due to the high number of applications the centre receives, it has started two courses at the same time, he added.



Speaking about the structure of the course, Ansari said they have divided the classes in three categories. One is for females, second is for male students and teachers, while the third is for drivers of private companies.

“A driver does not need to make a learning licence if he or she has a certificate from DDC,” said Khan. DDC certificate is also recognised internationally, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 13^th, 2016.