'KEEP DISTANCE' for Taxi Fabric Project

The Taxi Fabric Project, initiated by a friend Sanket Avlani, is a platform for designers to show off their ideas and talent through the medium of Taxi Fabric in Mumbai, India. In association with TEDx Gateway, the Taxi Fabric team wanted to design a taxi promoting road safety in Mumbai. And thus, ‘Keep Distance’ was created to try and inculcate a better driving culture in the city. As it’s evident from the title, the theme and the design for the ‘Keep Distance’ taxi project was inspired by the Truck Art of India.

 In the recent past, Mumbai taxi-drivers have faced a lot of public scrutiny for traffic-rule violations. As per the Global Status report on road safety 2013, approximately 2,31,000 people die due to road accidents every year in India. And one the top five cities that face the highest number of casualties is Mumbai.

 The ‘Keep Distance’ taxi concept was developed by an amalgamation of the two aspects that influence a taxi driver the most – their NEED to make their taxis look attractive and our RESPONSIBILITY as a society to remind them to drive safely and lawfully for the sake of their own selves, their families and others who share the road with them.

 Inspired Indian Truck Art, this design displays famous messages and couplets (often found on trucks) instructing the taxi driver to be safe on the road, illustrated with hand-painted type, motifs of birds, floral patterns, beautiful eyes etc. The aesthetic beauty of this taxi itself will act as a constant reminder to its driver to be careful.

Designer: Shantanu Suman

Collaborator: Shreedavy Babuji