Driving Towards a Safer Tomorrow

For a truck driver, clear vision is more than a convenience—it is a matter of safety. A pair of spectacles may seem like a small thing, but on a dark highway, it can make the difference between reaching home safely and risking an accident.

Pradeep has been driving trucks for over a decade, transporting goods across multiple states. His long journeys often continue through the night, ensuring that essential supplies reach markets and communities on time. His family depends on his income, and countless businesses depend on drivers like him. But over time, something began to change. Road signs became difficult to read, headlights blurred into bright streaks, and driving after sunset became increasingly challenging. Like many truck drivers, he dismissed it as fatigue—a normal part of life on the road.

He had never undergone an eye examination. Long working hours, limited access to healthcare, and the absence of convenient screening facilities meant that his vision had never been tested.

Through Project Roshni, implemented by Making The Difference Charitable Trust in collaboration with Interise Trust, comprehensive eye screening camps were organised directly at toll plazas and truck halt points across seven locations in Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. By bringing healthcare to the workplace, the initiative enabled drivers like Pradeep to undergo eye examinations without disrupting their schedules. Those diagnosed with vision impairment received counselling and corrective spectacles on-site.

After receiving his glasses, Pradeep experienced an immediate improvement. Road signs became easier to read, night driving felt safer, and he regained the confidence to drive long distances with clear vision. Today, he wears his spectacles every day, making his work not only easier but significantly safer.

Under Project Roshni, 3,049 truck drivers have been screened for vision-related issues, helping identify undiagnosed conditions and provide timely corrective care. Beyond improving eyesight, the initiative is strengthening road safety by ensuring that the people responsible for moving India's goods across its highways can do so with confidence, clarity, and dignity.