69 parents jailed by Hyderabad police in one month for allowing minors to drive

In a move that best describes, it all starts with the parents', 69 parents were jailed by the Hyderabad police in the last one month for allowing their minors to drive, said police. The move by the Hyderabad Traffic Police comes as part of its campaign against underage driving. The fathers' of the teenagers were produced before local courts and then to jail for a 1 to 3 day period apart from being fined for violating rules.

The Hyderabad Traffic Police (HTP) found minors aged between 14-16 years driving bikes,'scooters and cars and even three-wheelers without a driving'licence, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) A V Ranganath said. 

HTP launched the drive in the first week of February'in the wake of a series of road accidents in Hyderabad during January in which five minors were killed, the DCP said. "We have been imposing fines through the courts for the past two years. But it did not have the desired impact. Following the series of road mishaps involving minors we went severely against minor driving," he said.

He added that "We invoked the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act and requested local courts citing'various Supreme Court judgements that minors driving should be treated'seriously as it endangers both their lives and of others also and the courts were convinced of our requests," said Ranganath.

''The parents are being prosecuted under section 180 of the MV Act (Allowing unauthorised persons to drive vehicles) for allowing underage driving, he said.

According to the DCP, the response from parents has been tremendous and they have congratulated the police for being harsh to deter children from asking for bikes and cars. "This drive will continue'till this year-end and we want to stabilise it," Ranganath said.