Parents face the consequences of road accidents caused by underage drivers

The Hindu

12-05-2025

In a bid to crack down on underage driving, the Greater Chennai Traffic Police (GCTP) have been arresting and remanding parents of minors causing road accidents. According to police, five persons have been killed and 22 injured in accidents that involved minors behind the wheel in the past four months. Not only is underage driving illegal but it also puts drivers, passengers, and other road users at risk.
At Kumaran Colony in Vadapalani on the evening of April 7, the parents of a 13-year-old boy asked him to put the cover for their car.
Instead, the minor took the car out for a drive on the sly and even picked up his friend. When the vehicle was near Kumaran Nagar Main Road, the boy lost control of it and hit two men.
One of them, M. Mahalingam, 83, of Saligramam, died of a head injury at the hospital and the other Gangadharan, 49, was injured. The car was completely damaged.
The next day, the Traffic Investigation Wing (TIW) arrested the boy's father and sent him to judicial remand. The boy was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and sent to an observation home. A few days later, in yet another case, Sampath, 76, was injured after a 16-year-old boy allegedly rammed him with a two-wheeler when he was walking on the road in Saligramam. The juvenile boy was riding his mother's two-wheeler.
Car overturns
On April 1, a 17-year-old boy, accompanied by four of his friends, took his father's car for a drive in Vyasarpadi. He drove the car rashly and lost control, which resulted in it overturning after hitting a concrete wall. The TIW, Vyasarpadi, nabbed the juvenile driver and seized the car. The parent of the minor was booked under the relevant laws.
A senior traffic police officer said: 'On most occasions, the parents themselves encourage their children to ride two-wheelers to go to nearby shops, tuition centres, and school without realising the consequences and that rules do not allow minors to drive. In a few instances, minors drive the vehicles without the knowledge of their parents.'
On Monday, a 14-year-old boy rode his father's bike in Poonamallee, with his two friends riding pillion. When they were near Malayambakkam, the boy lost control of the vehicle and rammed a concrete median. The rider died on the spot in the impact, and the two others were rushed to a hospital in critical condition.
According to statistics of the GCTP, there were five fatal accidents and five persons were killed in road accidents caused by the underage drivers-minors and over 22 persons were injured in such accidents. In 2014, 13 fatalities were reported and 33 persons were injured. So far in this year, five persons have been killed, 22 injured.
A senior officer of the GCTP said Section 199-A of the Motor Vehicles Act dealt with offences committed by juveniles. As per the provision, the guardian of the juvenile in question or the vehicle's owner would be held liable for the accident. The guardian or owner would be punishable with imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of ₹25,000.
The officer said parents and guardians would be held responsible for the accidents, whether fatal or non-fatal. 'Recently, at least 12 parents have been remanded in judicial custody in underage driving cases. We are taking strict action against the violators,' he added.
Rajkumar Muthukrishnan, child rights activist and lawyer, Madras High Court, said accidents caused by underage driving posed grave risks to children's safety and the broader community.
Disrespect for rules
'When minors flout traffic laws, it normalises disrespect for rules, undermining our collective trust in road safety. It is the responsibility of parents/guardians to secure vehicles and educate children. We support stricter penalties for negligence, including fines or community service. Schools must integrate road safety into their curricula and collaborate with the traffic police for workshops on road safety,' he said.
Mr. Muthukrishnan added that authorities should implement stricter enforcement such as impounding vehicles used by minors and patrolling accident-prone zones.
Number of accidents caused due to underage driving
Year Fatal accidents Non-fatal accidents 2023 5 22 2024 13 33 2025 (as of April) 5 22