GUNTUR: In the wake of increasing number of incidents in which minors are caught driving motor vehicles, Guntur Urban SP Ch Vijaya Rao directed the police to give counselling to parents whose minor children are found driving vehicles.
As many as 4,278 cases were registered against minors for driving vehicles, in January and February, 2018. As many as 11,179 cases were registered in 2016 while 15,434 cases were registered in 2017. The police have registered 1,239 cases for triple riding and 99 cases for dangerous driving. As many as 370 cases for using mobile phones and 5,736 cases for parking vehicles in no parking area was also registered in the last two months.
The police are monitoring traffic violators through CCTV cameras and will inform the same to the parents of minors. If the minor continues riding even after repeated warnings, the parents will be called for counselling. Accidents are on the rise due to triple riding, rash driving, signal jumping and using mobile phone while driving. So the police have decided to take stern action against traffic violators.
Guntur Urban SP Ch Vijaya Rao said the minors are giving lot of troubles to drivers of other vehicles. Motorists violating traffic rules are in for trouble as police will seize their vehicle and return it only after attend a counselling session, if the offence committed falls under select categories of dangerous driving.
“We are focussing on offences that pose danger to life like over speeding, driving without helmet, cell phone driving, driving without a licence, driving by minors and driving under the influence of alcohol. We are also focussing on repeat offenders,” the SP said.
Police have been seizing vehicles of people driving under the influence of alcohol during their drunk driving checks for a long time, but now traffic police would impound vehicles of motorists who commit other potentially dangerous traffic offences.
At the counselling session, the offenders would be shown road accident visuals and explained about the need to follow road safety rules. “For first time offenders, we are warning them not to repeat the offence, while the repeat offenders were being told that they will be prosecuted in case of no behavioural change,” the added.
Parents too will face jail
Parents of minors booked for drunken driving will be called for counselling
They are being told to be on the lookout for their children driving under the influence of alcohol, particularly during school and college hours
In future, the offenders, who commit violations like jumping signal or wrong side driving or issued e-challan would also be counselled when they get caught during the on-road enforcement