Malerkotla police harness peer power to curb underage driving

The traffic wing of the Malerkotla police has set an example to harness peer power to control underage driving in the region.

The police have recognised that persuasion can be effective when it comes from peers. Thus, they have roped in students of various schools to spread awareness among residents and their wards about the necessity of following new traffic rules in letter and spirit.

Besides accompanying traffic police cops during educational workshops, seminars and nakas, the students have been volunteering to make appeals through social media and ‘nukad’ meetings.

Students trust peers’ advice

As posts uploaded on social media are not restricted to a particular geographical region, appeals made in simple language worked wonders among viewers from various parts of the state. Moreover, the knowledge, experience, emotions and advice contained in the messages by children on different platforms was trusted by their peers more than stereotyped lectures normally delivered by uniformed personnel. DSP Ranjit Singh Bains

“I had applied for a learning license when I turned 16, now I am 18 and a holder of a permanent license. I request you all to apply for a learners’ driving license when you turn 16 and drive scooters or other permitted vehicles only after obtaining a license,” said an 18-year-old student who displays his driving license while calling up his peers to follow rules in a video prepared at a police naka.

The reel insight analysis revealed that the video had 4,417,922 views and 2,63,437 interactions.

The district coordinator, DSP Ranjit Singh Bains, appreciated the efforts of the traffic cops supervised by the traffic incharge, Gurmukh Singh Laddi, in roping in students of various schools to persuade their peers to abstain from driving vehicles without a valid driving license.

“Having observed that persuasion can be effective when it comes from peers, we started involving students of senior classes in our events being organised to sensitise residents and their wards on the issue,” said Bains. He claimed the endeavour had yielded desired results in Malerkotla and in surrounding localities too.

“As posts uploaded on social media are not restricted to a particular geographical region, appeals made in simple language worked wonders among viewers from various parts of the state. Moreover, the knowledge, experience, emotions and advice contained in the messages by children on different platforms was trusted by their peers more than stereotyped lectures normally delivered by uniformed personnel,” he said.