BENGALURU: In the wake of the fatal collision near Bengaluru reportedly involving minors, mental health professionals are urging society to shift the conversation toward parenting practices, adolescent development, and the broader social environment that shapes young people’s behaviour.
Experts say such incidents highlight the need for early sensitisation, responsible role-modelling, and open communication within families rather than reactive blame.
Adolescence is a stage marked by developmental vulnerability, said consultant counselling psychologist Rakhi N Gopan. Young people are more likely to underestimate risks, seek peer approval, and pursue thrill-seeking experiences due to ongoing brain development. While society often questions parental responsibility after such incidents, reducing the issue to blame overlooks biological, psychological, and social factors. Instead, the focus should be on helping parents understand adolescent behaviour and building supportive environments that encourage safer choices.
The influence of adult behaviour on children’s habits cannot be overstated, observed counselling psychologist Shayna Sunu. When adults ignore traffic signals, avoid helmets, or disregard lane discipline, children internalise these practices as normal. Moving beyond rule enforcement, she emphasised the importance of psychoeducation, explaining why safety measures matter. Teaching children that helmets and seat belts protect lives, not merely prevent fines, can foster a deeper sense of responsibility and long-term behavioural change.
Experts add that open, non-judgmental communication at home is another critical preventive factor. When teenagers feel safe discussing their plans, parents are better positioned to guide them, set boundaries, and ensure safety. Fear-based control, experts warn, may instead push adolescents to hide risky behaviour, including unauthorised driving. Building trust allows parents to remain informed and involved while still respecting growing independence.
Traffic Expert Prof. MN Sreehari stressed that parents are legally accountable when minors access vehicles and pointed out that with extensive camera surveillance in place, traffic police are responsible for monitoring violations in real time and taking immediate action, and in cases involving underage drivers, the law mandates that parents be held accountable. Stronger value-based education that teaches civic sense, road discipline, and social responsibility from an early age is essential.
“Raising responsible citizens, requires integrating practical life skills and ethical behaviour into both parenting and education systems,” he said. Another expert said that just like firearm licence holders are booked if it is misused by their children or others, as such weapons must be kept in safe custody, parents should also ensure that their vehicle keys are out of reach of children, especially teenagers, as vehicles can be deadly if they are used by minors.