Open house: What needs to be done to discourage underage driving as it puts lives at risk?

Relax rules for sake of students

Though underage driving is illegal, the unfortunate trend could not be restricted and it continues putting lives at risk. In our country, any person aged 18 years and above can be issued with a licence for driving and anyone below the specified limit is not considered competent to bear contractual obligations under the law. It is proposed that for driving of two-wheelers only, the limit for students with minimum age of 16 years and above may be considered to facilitate commuting between residence and educational institutions. It is generally observed that most underage driving violations fall under the category of students only and this provision can also help inculcate both safe and law-abiding driving habits among adolescents who are naturally inclined towards driving at an early age. In other cases, the underage violations should invariably attract prosecution of parents/guardians who are to be considered solely responsible for such illegal practices, putting at grave risk the lives of their wards and that of others.

Jagdish Chander

Question for next week

An 11-year-old boy died after a toy train he was riding overturned at Nexus Elante Mall in Chandigarh recently. What safety measures should be taken to prevent such incidents in Jalandhar?

Suggestions in not more than 200 words can be sent to [email protected] by Thursday (July 4)

Safety saves lives on roads

The government has implemented strict punishment, penalty and fine on parents of underage drivers responsible for any mis-happening during driving of a vehicle. Even then, the present generation of youths doesn't care and goes for a ride without any valid driving licence. The Government of India should come with a fresh notification that the youth can drive scooters without gear from the age of 14 after getting a certificate of having full knowledge of traffic rules and a valid certificate from a driving school. If the e-rickshaw driver needs no driving licence to drive his battery operated contraption, then to my opinion the rules can be relaxed so that the youth can drive two-wheelers that are sans gears. At present, due to a revolution in the automobile industry, new cars are being launched by different manufacturers with a maximum speed of up to more than 180 km. The parents should refrain from handing over the keys of the cars to youths below 18 years until and unless they have a valid driving licence. It is for the parents to educate their children to follow traffic rules and refrain from handing over the keys of their vehicles to the youths to drive.

Rajat Kumar Mohindru

Discourage underage drivers on roads

In order to end underage driving, new strict laws need to be framed. Laws should be made to discourage underage driving by issuing non-bailable arrest warrants of parents who give vehicles to underage children for driving. Underage drivers create nuisance by driving rashly on roads. If such law is made and enacted forcibly, the day will not be far off when no underage driver could be seen driving on roads. Moreover, awareness needs to be created amongst parents, not only about the dangers of underage driving, but of its illegality too. Also, the help of media can be taken by the government as it can carry out propaganda against underage drivers by listing serious legal consequences of it.

Sanjay Chawla

Need for strict action, awareness

Less than 18 years old is considered underage. Underage driving is very dangerous because it puts the lives of young drivers and other road users at risk. To prevent underage driving is a need of time. The police should be strict in controlling underage driving. They should carry out a drive to check underage driving. The police can seek the cooperation of NGOs. Cameras can help keep watch on underage youth. Vehicles for underage drivers should be confiscated by the police. Parents, guardians or owners of vehicles should be called to the police station and subjected to heavy fines. Before doing the above, the police should conduct an awareness campaign at the school, college and village level. The consequences of a minor's driving should be explained in detail. The pictures of damaged vehicles and wounded people caused by road accidents should be shown to the underage drivers to make them understand the repercussions of their unauthorised driving.

Sucha Singh Sagar

Parents can’t absolve themselves of blame

India is one of the leading countries in the world when it comes to underage drivers which are a bitter truth. Not only do they rush through the narrow streets of Punjab but also put their lives and that of others at risk. Each year, numerous accidents involving individuals less than 18 years of age behind the wheels take place. The NCRB report states that traffic accidents have increased from 3,68,828 in 2020 to 4,22,659 in 2021 and children below 18 years of age contribute to 9.6% of fatalities. The government and the people should be more aware of this issue together. Kids are not entirely to be held responsible for this, it is the parents who boost their desires with no hesitation and don't even try to convince them about the possible risks resulting in them being more and more open and blunt about their wants and ignore the fact that it is not safe for them to drive underage for a reason until something serious happens. However, as the saying goes, it is better late than never. In order to prevent accidents and protect the safety of young people, it is crucial for parents to refrain from encouraging underage driving, both within their households and in the larger community. Despite this, nothing is more effective than self-realisation; teenagers, the actual ones who hold a big part in pathetic road incidents, should realise that they should prioritise their safety over their pride and not indulge in reputation-based activities on the road such as racing as these actions are not a show of power but an utter act of foolishness. It also means engaging in activities that pose a significant risk to their own safety as well as the safety of others.

Lakshit Jindal

Drive underage, suffer later

It is a crime to drive without a valid driving licence and it becomes worst when he or she is involved in an accident. Parental guidance for children is essential. They should not allow their underage children to drive in any circumstances and parents should be held responsible if they are caught. Parents and teachers should inform about the implications of underage driving. If an accident happens by an underage driver, both parents and children should be challenged. Seminars with NGOs and legal experts should be conducted in high schools to tell them about the traffic rules and implications if one is involved in rash driving and accidents. They are subjected to prosecution in juvenile courts and it is a big blot on their career and studies. Police should also be vigilant about underage driving. If any child below 18 years is caught, his licence should be cancelled for life. Morally, it is the duty of parents not to allow their children to drive and suffer later.

Shashi Kiran

Implement graduated licensing system

Some measures can be taken to discourage inexperienced underage driving, such as the implementation of a Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system to ensure that new drivers gain experience under lower-risk conditions progressively. GDL typically includes three stages: Learner's permit, intermediate/provisional licence, and full-fledged licence. Additionally, new traffic rules grounded in existing Indian laws, including the Motor Vehicles Act and the Juvenile Justice Act, should be implemented strictly to increase the penalties for allowing minors to drive. Under this, if a minor is caught driving, the parent/guardian should face a challan of up to Rs 25,000 to deter them from allowing their underage children to drive. In addition to hefty fines, the new rules stipulate that parents/guardians could face imprisonment for up to three years if their minor child is involved in an accident while driving. This is necessary to hold guardians accountable and emphasise the seriousness of underage driving. Similarly, teens should be made aware about the need to always wear seat belts while driving as these reduce serious crash-related injuries and deaths by about half. Similarly, night-time driving and the number of passengers for teen drivers should be restricted to reduce distractions and risk-taking behaviour. Like others, especially inexperienced teens should also be made aware of the dangers of drinking alcohol, drug abuse, and using mobile phones or other electronic devices while driving to check distracted driving. Remind them that it's illegal to drink under the age of 21 and that drinking and driving can be deadly.

Kulwant Singh Phull

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