Last month, two boys took their father’s high-end motorcycle without his knowledge and were killed on the spot when they rammed a stationary truck on Tiruvallur High Road on the city’s outskirts.
Udayakumar, 13, and his brother Lokesh Saran, 9, took the keys from their father Sathyanarayana’s shirt pocket while he was asleep. Udayakumar rode the bike while his brother rode pillion. They were speeding on the main road when they hit the truck, an eyewitness told the police.
Sathyanarayana runs a tea shop.
He said, “Schools are closed due to lockdown. Normally, I used to accompany them and teach them how to ride. Their cousin was also learning with them. Our lives and hopes are shattered, and the death of my sons are a lesson to anyone who encourages underage driving.”
In another instance, a boy who appeared to be less than eight years old was seen riding a two-wheeler with his father on the backseat coaching him on a street in Velachery. When they were stopped and questioned, the father said, “Roads don’t have much traffic now. So if we train now, he will learn and be a confident rider in the future.”
Utilising the closure of schools during the lockdown as an excuse, many underage boys and girls were seen riding two-wheelers on streets and roads without any check, even indulging in bike racing and rash driving. In many instances, parents are also accompanying them as pillion riders.
Underage driving is a common sight on city roads and its suburbs. Parents themselves are seen coaching children without realising that underage driving is an offence. Minors are seen driving cars with friends.
“A large group of minors drove their vehicles from Royapuram to Muthusamy bridge in the night. Since it was dark, we were unable to note down the registration number and trace the owners of the vehicle. We do not know when they come and where they are from,” a police officer said.
“When there was no lockdown, school boys in uniform were seen riding vehicles recklessly to their schools in Perambur, Anna Nagar, Thirumangalam and other areas. During the lockdown, parents allowed children to go to tuition centres or nearby shops on two-wheelers. They are riding without any control. Neither the police stop them nor the schools discipline them,” V.S. Suresh, an advocate, said.
As per traffic rules, the minimum age to apply for a valid driving licence to ride a motorcycle is 18. However, this rule is openly flouted. These underage drivers are mostly school-going children.
“When a minor meets with an accident, even if they have an insurance policy, it is not going to be of any help as they cannot claim it. Even families of adults who die in accidents caused by underage drivers are having difficultly getting compensation,” Mr. Suresh said.
Poor enforcement of laws
Piyush Tewary, founder and CEO of the Save Life Foundation, said, “The challenge is in poor implementation of existing laws. Juvenile driving has been happening for a while. It has been exacerbated by the limited availability of public transportation during the COVID-19 lockdown and safety concerns. The Motor Vehicle Amendment Act 2019 has adequate provisions for checking juvenile driving, but its implementation is poor.”
Field-level police officers in the traffic division mostly do not stop underage drivers. “It can be risky for police personnel if they get hit or fatal to underage drivers, who may fall from the bike. Then we will be taken to task,” an officer said.
Source: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/underage-driving-on-the-rise-in-chennai/article38404398.ece
