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Amit Sharma in Chandigarh
Their uniform gives away their age, sending the policewallahs after them. Still, it is common to see them zip through Chandigarh roads on their bikes and scooties.
According to police, the violation is rampant in the age group of 12 to 17 years. Cops blame schools and parents, schools blame parents and cops, and parents blame it on the circumstances. “A child has to go for tuitions sometimes far away from the house. Parents are left with no option but to buy them non-gear scooters,” says Mohali resident Amandeep Kaur.
Prof Rajesh Gill from Panjab University’s sociology department feels fear of law needs to be instilled in both parents and children for them to follow rules and discourage underage driving. “Society has changed a lot. Earlier, when youngsters would drive cars or bikes, it would irk others. Nobody raises an eyebrow now,” says Professor Gill, who feels it is not just about underage driving. “If children are allowed to drive and violate laws, they will not become law abiding citizens when they grow up. It is the parents’ responsibility to take care of children by ferrying them to and from school and tuitions,” she adds.
Harman Sidhu, president of Arrive Safe, an NGO that works for the cause of road safety, agrees. He says there is a need to book the parents for not only allowing the children to drive a vehicle but, also making children insensitive towards the law. “Parents are responsible for encouraging children to drive on their own. They are not only risking the lives of their children, but of other road users as well,” he says.
The onus is also on the schools to provide cheap transport facilities to students. While traffic police holds seminars in schools to sensitise students about traffic rules and to make them aware about risks involved in underage driving, a cop confesses underage driving continues unabated. To counter this, experts suggest counselling sessions for both parents and their wards.
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