Underage driving needs to be curbed with iron hand

Parents equally responsible

People take underage driving as a pride because some of parents think that their children are smarter than others. So, rather than punishing underage drivers, we have to be strict on their parents.

Kulvir Singh, Chandigarh

Impose heavy penalties on defaulters

Policemen deployed around schools and the nearby market parking lots should regularly check the driving licence of students driving vehicles. The vehicles driven by underage drivers should be impounded without political/public/bureaucratic interference and heavy penalty should be imposed before releasing the vehicles. For subsequent offenses, registration certificate (RC) of the vehicle should be cancelled. It should be renewed only after imposing heavy fine and taking an affidavit from the owner that the vehicle will not be allowed to be driven by underage driver.

Wg Cdr SS Savant (retd), Chandigarh

School students violate norms

Chandigarh, which is known for better traffic management, is losing its dignity. I have seen a number of school students driving two-wheelers. They ride two-wheelers at a high speed even without wearing helmets. They can also be seen triple riding a number of times.

Suneel Garg, Chandigarh

Cops should be more vigilant

The authorities are equally responsible for issuing driving licence to underage children. Policemen who do not check offenders are also to be blamed. It is not important to increase challan revenue to achieve targets and get good points at the ACR, but more important is taking up strict measures on roads by being more vigilant to curb such menace.

Madan Gupta 'Spatu', Chandigarh

Parents should be strict with their children

Underage driving in the tricity is spreading like a wildfire, which needs to be curbed with an iron hand. Parents, instead of discouraging under-aged children from driving, feel proud of such illegal activity that turns into tragic accidents. It is they who need to be strict with their children to avoid tragedies on city roads.

RK Kapoor, Chandigarh

Deploy traffic cops near schools

Underage driving can easily be checked by deploying traffic police near schools. Registration of vehicles and driving licence of parents of children found violating norms should be cancelled because they are only responsible for this menace.

IPS Anand, Mani Majra

Schools must stop entry of students’ vehicles

Schools must stop the entry of personnel vehicles of students. Traffic police should also impound the vehicles driven by underage children. Parent-teacher meets can be used to inform parents about the rash driving menace by underage children.

Wg Cdr Jasbir Singh Minhas (retd), Mohali

Install CCTV cameras at checkpoints

Vehicles being driven by underage children should be impounded and heavy penalty should be imposed on their parents. CCTV cameras should be installed at checkpoints. The role of the school authorities is important by not allowing underage children to the school and park vehicles on the school premises.

Col KJ Singh (retd), Chandigarh

Lessons in road safety should be part of curriculum

Lessons in road safety should form a compulsory part of the curriculum wherein, among other desirable behavioural aspects, students should be counselled about the reasons for fixing minimum age limit for driving vehicles. Documentary films should be shown to students to drive home the safety aspect. Students should be made to take a formal oath to not to resort to underage driving and over-speeding.

Tejinder Singh Kalra, Mohali

Counselling must for children at schools

The traffic police should conduct regular checks outside schools to curb this menace. Parents of underage or inexperienced drivers should be warned and punished accordingly. Counselling done at schools about unsafe and rash driving can also check road rage caused by teenagers.

Anurag Singh Kapoor, Mohali

Nakas must near schools, coaching centres

Regular nakas are required near schools and coaching centres to nab the underage drivers. Moreover parents should also be held equally responsible for this kind of offense. Meanwhile, traffic rule awareness camps should be held on regular basis in schools.

Dr Amit Gupta, Mohali

Encourage students to use bicycles

Police should impound the vehicles driven by underage children for at least one year. The schools should not allow underage children to use vehicles. Instead, the students should be encouraged to use bicycles if they are living within 3km to 4km distance from schools or travel by school buses or public transport.

Col CS Bawa (retd)

Parents should avoid access of vehicle keys to children

School principals along with a counsellor should inculcate the habit of obeying traffic rules among students. The students should take a pledge in the presence of the school principal and teachers that they would not drive vehicle unless and until they obtain a driving licence. Parents should avoid the access of vehicle keys to their underage children.

Nikita Kapur, Chandigarh

Proper supervision must

It is the responsibility of parents not to allow teenagers to drive vehicles without proper supervision. To avoid accidents and save precious lives of citizens, the traffic police should be deployed at all strategic places and their presence will help in controlling overspeeding and traffic violations.

Colonel Balbir Singh (retd), Chandigarh

Open House Question

The move of the UT Traffic Police to play pre-recorded CDs on public address systems to create awareness on traffic rules at traffic light junctions has come under public criticism. Still, traffic violations continue as the harsh and inharmonious sound fails to make impact on motorists. What needs to be done to encourage motorists to follow the rules rather than harassing them. Write your suggestions in not more than 70 words along with a passport size photograph to [email protected].