Open house: Are underage drivers solely responsible for mishaps?

Penalise teenaged drivers severely

Teen drivers are especially visible on city roads. Today’s youth believe in a fast-paced, fun-filled lifestyle, as a result of their omnipotence, they regularly drive high-powered motor vehicles in a disorderly manner. They are continuously rushing to meet deadlines, completely oblivious to the reality that they are prone to mishaps due to all this. Parents, who allow their underage children to drive, contribute significantly to placing their children and the public in danger. To deter juvenile drivers, the traffic police must severely penalise violators and also hold parents or the vehicle’s owner accountable.

Novin Christopher

Discourage driving by children

In this fast-moving world, nobody has time. That is why parents are providing scooters and motorcycles to their children who are under the age of 18 years. For schoolchildren, driving motorcycles or scooters is a thrill and most of them like to drive fast. But they are not mature enough to take prompt action, due to which they have to lose their precious life, which is a big loss for the family and the nation too. It is the collective responsibility of parents, teachers, local government authorities and the police. Parents should keep vigil and children should not be given motorcycles, scooters or cars. Rather parents should discourage them and advise them not to use any vehicles, their friends’ or their own. Teachers should give lectures and tell students about the consequences of driving before the age of 18.

Mohd Saleem Farooqui

Parents must be punished

It is unfortunate to read news reports regarding road accidents in which children below the age of 18 years are involved. It is the prime responsibility of parents to advise and guide their children not to drive any vehicle before the qualifying age of driving. Parents must be punished if they are allowing them to do the same. It is not the loss of vehicle but loss of life is crucial. Children below the age of 18 years are not mature enough to take quick decisions. The police must put a vigil on underage driving children. Parents must cooperate with the police and the administration to avoid any accidents due to underage driving.

Farzana Khan

Parents are solely responsible

Underage driving is banned. But we can see teenagers speeding on roads and many times, to save them, other vehicles collide with each other and cause fatal accidents. Parents are solely responsible for such mishaps and equal punishment must be given to them. If any child who is learning driving before the required age for the same must also be penalised and strict action must be taken against parents of such children. It is the responsibility of the parents to tell their children about consequences of underage driving and overspeeding.

Ritu Priya

Joint efforts by parents, schools needed

There is a popular saying that charity begins at home. Hence, children should be guided and told by their parents that underage driving was not only going to endanger them but also the lives of other commuters. The irony is that many of the Indian parents encourage their children to drive at a very young age. The government has done a commendable job by making a law wherein if a minor is involved in any road accident, then a case will be filed against the parents as well. In the past, in Hyderabad, one such case was reported where parents were booked by the police for underage driving by their child. The school authorities can also play a vital role in curbing the menace. Seminars regarding road safety, poster-making competitions and debates on the issue should be held regularly in schools to inculcate a sense of safe driving among teenagers. However, it is parents only who can make a difference by being strict with their children regarding underage driving. Hence, joint efforts by the parents and the school authorities can play a pivotal role in curbing the practice.

Bir Devinder Singh Bedi

Hold awareness camps for kids

Teenagers are not mature enough to drive vehicles. Parents get so busy in their lives that they forget about activities of their children. Camps should be organised to apprise children of traffic rules.

Adish Sood

Parents, cops should get strict with kids

Out of the accidents that are occurring on roads in the city, a large number are taking place due to rash driving by underage children. Many of them either drive fast, indulge in racing with friends or drive without driving licence. Such things result in more accidents on roads. To stop rash driving by underage children, parents must not allow the use of vehicles by their underage child. Also, the parents must ensure that if any child has been given warning once by the police, he should not be allowed to drive any vehicle without a proper licence. Parents have a big responsibility in stopping the practice by their children. The other way is help by the police to stop children from driving fast or without licence. They must get strict with such children. They should requently check traffic on roads and ensure that no vehicle is being driven by any underage driver or other children without licence. The police must set up nakas at main crossings in the city at least once a month to check the menace. Any child found speeding or driving without a licence must be punished. The punishment may include fine first time followed by confiscation of the vehicle second time. The police must also ensure to call parents to give back their vehicles who, in turn, should ensure that vehicles will not be given to the child again till he gets a proper driving licence. Such steps will control the number of accidents due to rash driving by the children.

Gautam Dev

Set up special nakas regularly

It has become a fad among underage students to drive mobikes and cars. They flaunt their vehicles, jump red lights, take illegal turns, use mobile phones while driving and often indulge in reckless driving putting their own as well as others’ lives in danger. Parents become equally responsible for the crime by giving vehicles to their underage children. To curb the menace, we should keep pestering the authorities concerned, especially the police, to check rash and underage driving. Special nakas should be set up to check underage driving on a regular basis. Parents should stop giving vehicles to their underage children. At the school level, seminars be organised to teach students ill-effects of underage driving. Schools may ban entry of vehicles being driven by underage students. The government should enact laws for stringent punishment for parents as well as children.

RS Sembhi

Get strict with kids

Indians pamper children a lot due to which they become obstinate. They also do not follow guidelines or rules due to such pampering. Young age becomes dangerous when all demands of children are accepted with unnecessary love gestures. Parents also give keys of their vehicles to their underage children. Such actions result in fatal road accidents. Parents should make children aware of safety rules. No laxity should be shown by parents in such a serious matter.

Balwin Kaur

Road safety awareness needed

Awareness of road safety rules and discipline are needed to drive any vehicle. Driving cannot be learnt by reading books. It can be only learnt by practice. It is most unfortunate that underage drivers try to drive without learning it. When we ourselves handover keys of vehicles to our children, the possibility of accidents increases tremendously. To be on the safe side, one must learn driving from an expert at an appropriate age.

Harguneet Kaur

Strict action needs to be taken

Through these columns I want to draw your attention towards rash and underage driving. Accidents are increasing day by day and most of the accidents are occurring due to underage driving. To solve the problem, several measures can be taken. Strict action should be taken against rash driving and driving vehiclesby underage drivers. Hence, parents make their children aware of traffic rules. Children should follow all traffic rules and if caught breaking rules, strict action should be taken and fine should be imposed on them.

Khushpreet Kaur

Parents equally responsible

Youngsters are driving their vehicles fast using safety gears. Underage driving and speeding remain major causes of accidents in the city. Several teenaged students had a miraculous escape after two SUVs they were speeding collided with each other. Parents are equally responsible for this as they are allowing them to drive before the required age. Driving without a valid driving licence is a crime under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. To ride a gearless two-wheeler (up to 50 cc) you need to be above 16 years of age and to ride a mobike with gear or a car you need to be 18 or above.

Reyansh Sharma

Hold parents accountable

The menace of underage driving is growing in the city day by day. Schoolchildren like to drive motorcycles or scooters as there is always a thrill in it and they also drive fast. Such violations are not possible without consent and involvement of parents. They are responsible for the underage driving menace and must be held accountable. Vehicles being driven by minors should be impounded and heavy penalty should be imposed on their parents.

Prachi

Parents partners in crime

These days, many lives are lost due to underage driving as underage youngsters go for a joyride but they often overlook risks involved in it. Parents are equally responsible for the same. They are equal partners in the crime as they allow children to drive before attaining the proper age. Children should be aware of the fact that underage driving is strictly prohibited. The parents should not give them vehicles. Parents should tell them about risks associated with underage driving. If such steps not taken, consequences can be fatal. Hence, it is high time to pay attention to the menace. Proper attention and precautions will resolve the issue.

Deepantika Jain

Parents should guide kids properly

Underage students force their parents to allow them to drive but the latter are equally responsible. Underage drivers are not mature enough to know its consequences. It is the duty of their guardians to guide them in such a manner that they themselves refuse to drive before attaining the legal age.

Kamaldeep Kaur

Parents fail to make kids aware of rules

Accidents are a common sight these days in the city. We all are responsible for such incidents. People have become self-centered as they do not bother about the life of other people. Parents and grandparents love their children so much that they forget to make them aware of basic traffic rules. When children ask keys of vehicles parents give them the same ignoring the fact that they have not learnt the basics of driving. Many of the children indulge in racing with their friends. All this is done without the knowledge of parents. Such actions result in tragedies. Many children lose their lives. Parents have failed in providing awareness to children and dealing the situation firmly.

JBS Nanda

Fine parents heavily

Underage driving has become common in Ludhiana nowadays. Boys of wealthy families flaunt their latest mobikes zooming around in the city, especially in evenings to attract girls. They don’t possess valid licence. They also flout traffic rules with impunity. Their parents encourage them to drive without even a learner’s licence. Instead of such youngsters, their parents should be heavily fined.

Dr Sunil Chopra

Parents, kids both responsible

Now, parents have high expectations from their children. They usually encourage their children to learn driving at a very young age. It is wrong practice. Children also misuse this leniency. They take this opportunity for adventurism and speeding. This, in turn, put them and others in danger as we can see on roads in Ludhiana. Hence, underage driving is dangerous and illegal. Rash driving poses a threat to commuters as well. Underage driving can’t be possible without consent of parents. Hence, both children and parents are responsible for underage driving. Parents and police together can play better role avoid this menace effectively.

Sukhdev Sharma

Act against parents supporting kids’ offences

Driving on roads without a valid driving license is a crime. Teen drivers have a higher rate of fatal crashes, mainly because of their immaturity and lack of skills and experience. Not only teenagers but also their parents are equally responsible for such accidents. They handover vehicles to the underage drivers and later, many of the parents bribe police officials if the child is caught violating traffic rules, which is a greater crime. The police should not spare such people. Such offences are not possible without the consent and involvement of parents. Heavy fines should be imposed on such parents. Such steps can be taken to stop the menace.

Divyanka Thakur

Encourage use of bicycles

Underage driving and speeding are the major causes of accidents in the city. It is fascinating for children to drive at a young age when they lack driving skills and are mentally immature. For them, it is fun to drive on a high-powered mobike. Parents are allowing their underage children to drive. Lack of public transport facilities is one of the major reasons for underage driving. Parents should encourage children to use bicycles as underage driving often leads to fatal consequences.

Samiksha

Introduce road safety lessons in textbooks

There are clear traffic rules which prohibit overspeeding, driving on wrong lane, parking in no parking zones, driving without license and seat belts, driving under influence of intoxicants, etc, and also the defined penalties for defaulters. But some drivers give no regards for rules and regulations. Several hit-and-run incidents are taking place every day. Reckless drivers hit other vehicles. People crossing speed limits must be given an exemplary punishment. Traffic control personnel must be increased. It is also necessary to introduce road safety lessons in textbooks of schools and colleges. Further, no driving licence should be issued to anyone till they have passed from driving schools with satisfactory performance. Reckless and irresponsible driving endangers the life of the driver as well as other drivers and pedestrians. It is better to drive safely then to regret later.

Varun Chauhan

QUESTION

The Municipal Corporation’s garbage dumpsite with over 20 lakh metric tonnes of legacy waste has been on fire for over a week. Not only it has become a major health hazard and cause of widespread pollution, making the lives of local residents a hell, but also a migrant family of seven was also charred to death when they were asleep in their hut located in the vicinity of the burning waste site the other day, prompting the National Green Tribunal to take cognisance of the serious matter. Should the civic officials concerned be held personally responsible and given exemplary punishment for the grave negligence or what else needs to be done to check the issue and ensure that such incidents posing threat to human lives do not occur in future?

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