‘Minors riding two-wheelers attract a fine of ₹5,000 and will be barred from getting a DL till they turn 25’

The Tiruchi City Traffic Police have been reaching out to schools of late driving home the message to children that driving two-wheelers by minors was a clear violation under Motor Vehicles Act that could land them, their parents or guardian and the owner of the vehicle in deep trouble.

This initiative of the traffic police comes in the wake of complaints that some schoolchildren in Tiruchi were commuting by two-wheelers at a high speed and in some instances indulged in riding triples. 

The programmes commenced a week ago with traffic police teams visiting schools and distributing pamphlets among children containing action that would be initiated after finding minors riding two-wheelers, said a senior officer attached to the city police traffic wing.

The children were told that those aged below 18 could not get a driving licence and hence they should desist from riding two-wheelers. The children were told that those aged 16 and below 18 may get a licence with parental consent for driving a two-wheeler without gear not exceeding 50 cc. However, there was no vehicle below 50 cc at present, said a senior Transport Department official. Any person who completed 18 years of age could get a licence for driving a motorcycle with gear and light motor vehicle. 

The minors found riding a two-wheeler would be slapped with a fine of ₹5,000 and would not be eligible to get a driving licence till they turned 25. The parents or the vehicle owner would be slapped a fine of ₹25,000 and with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years. Further, the registration of the vehicle found driven by minors would be cancelled for 12 months, the officer said.

The initiative was aimed at both sensitising the schoolchildren and cautioning them from violating the amended Motor Vehicles Act, another officer said. The traffic police teams have planned to cover all city schools in the days to come after obtaining concurrence from the educational institutions and the timings for holding such programmes. 

The onus was on the parents to ensure that their minor children did not ride two-wheelers, the officer said and added that instructions had been given to the traffic police personnel to step up efforts to check riding of two-wheelers by juveniles and thereby prevent accidents.