J&K Transport Dept issues stern warning to parents on allowing driving by minors

The Jammu and Kashmir Transport Department has advised the parents against allowing their underage children to drive two/four-wheelers after two teenage boys were killed in a road accident on Thursday in Srinagar.

In an advisory issued by the Transport Department, the authorities said, this move on parents part “not only puts the lives of their minor children at risk but also poses a threat to the pedestrians as well as to other commuters.”

“This is a serious offence, which can attract punitive action against the offenders,” it said.

Two teenagers were killed and one was injured when their SUV rammed into a stationary truck before hitting a road divider at Tengpora on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway on Thursday. After the incident, political leaders and civil society members expressed concern over the rise in road mishaps in the Valley.

On Friday, SSP Traffic, Srinagar, Muzaffar Ahmad Shah said they have begun focusing on traffic violations where minors are driving the vehicles.

Rajinder Singh Tara, Jammu and Kashmir’s Transport Commissioner said the department has re-circulated the advisory issued in July in view of fresh accidents in the Valley.

He said the Transport Department has asked police to invoke Section 199A against parents of children indulging in rash driving and stunt biking. Under Section 199A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, the advisory said, “where an offence has been committed by a juvenile, the guardian of such juvenile or the owner of the motor vehicle shall be deemed to be guilty of the contravention and shall be liable to be proceeded against and punished accordingly.”

It also said in addition to the penalty “such guardian or owner shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and with a fine of Rs 25,000.”

According to the advisory, where an offence under this Act “has been committed by a juvenile, the registration of the motor vehicle used in the commission of the offence shall be cancelled for a period of twelve months.”

It added, “Where an offence under this Act has been committed by a juvenile, then, notwithstanding Section 4 or Section 7, such juvenile shall not be eligible to be granted a driving licence under Section 9 or a learner’s licence under Section 8 until such juvenile has attained the age of twenty- five years.”

“Through the medium of this advisory, the general public, especially parents/guardians of minors, are requested to desist from the practice of allowing their minor children to drive two-wheeler or four-wheeler, as the same is prohibited and punishable under the provisions of MV Act as detailed above,” the advisory further said.