Parents also pay for errant minors in Pune

The city traffic police have started penalising minor children driving vehicles Rs600, as against the regular fine of Rs300 for driving without a licence.

It is hoped that the additional fine will deter parents from allowing their children to drive vehicles. The traffic police said more than 10% of rash and negligent driving incidents in the city involve underage drivers.

Deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Manoj Patil said, "Cases of underage driving mostly involve students from standards X to XII. We have detected a large number of cases, where minor children drive geared vehicles, that too rashly. It is not only dangerous for them but also for others on the roads. Parents are equally responsible if their negligence causes mishaps."

Under the rules, a learner's licence for driving non-geared vehicles up to 50 CC is issued to people aged 16 years and above. A learner's licence for geared vehicles is given to people 18 years and above.

"We are not only penalising underage bikers and drivers but also the owner of the vehicles, mostly parents. A fine of Rs300 is charged for not carrying a licence and an additional Rs300 is recovered from parents. Such measures have been taken to make parents realise their folly," Patil said.
He said some parents pamper their children so much that they buy heavy bikes, which the children cannot control.

On March 13, Shubham Thopte (15), a resident of Adinathnagar in Bhosari, lost his life and two of his friends suffered serious injuries in an accident involving a Toyota Corolla car and a truck near Nashik Phata. One of the children was driving the car.

The traffic police said one case of fatality, two of grievous injuries and eight of minor injuries were reported in 2009. In 2010, three fatal accidents, six grievous injury cases and nine minor injury cases were registered.