Lucknow, Jan 21 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday launched a public awareness campaign for road safety, besides inaugurating several projects of the transport department worth more than Rs 55 crore.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said, "Nearly 65 people lose their lives in road accidents daily, which can be reduced by creating public awareness. We have started a road safety public awareness campaign today. People must avoid driving without licence. Drunk-driving is also a big cause of accidents."

The departments of transport and health will play an active role in the month-long campaign devoted to road safety awareness.

Emphasising on spreading awareness among school children during the road safety month, Adityanath said that the sense of traffic awareness and road safety should be instilled in school children from the very beginning and special programmes should be held in schools regarding road safety and traffic rules.

The Chief Minister also said that nodal officers should be deployed in every district during the month to oversee the awareness campaign.