Odisha Police, transport department fine parents of 17 schoolchildren Rs 4.25 lakh in two days over underage driving
ROURKELA: To curtail the safety hazards posed by underage drivers including schoolchildren, police and transport departments in a joint special drive over the last two days took action against 17 youngsters.
A total of Rs 4.25 lakh fine was doled out from the parents of these youngsters and written undertakings were obtained from them mentioning that their children would not repeat the offence. This apart, the children have been disqualified from getting driving licence (DL) till they reach the age of 25 years.
Rourkela regional transport officer (RTO) Bibha Samantasingray said during the special drive conducted near different schools, around six students riding two-wheelers were intercepted and their vehicles seized on Monday. Similarly on Tuesday, as many as 11 two-wheelers rode by school youngsters were seized, he said.
“We had been issuing directives to school authorities and parents from time to time asking them not to allow their children ride two-wheelers. Instead of prohibiting children, the schools have only restricted parking within the institution premises. In such a situation, students were seen parking their vehicles just outside the school campuses with the knowledge of the authorities,” he said.
Punitive action would save the children from the potential risk of fatal mishaps. There are past instances when schoolchildren paid with their lives for violating traffic norms and illegally resorting to two-wheeler riding, the RTO stated .
On November 16, 2017, two school students, Jasmin Kiro (16) and Sabir Xalxo (14) were killed after their two-wheeler was hit by a vehicle near a school at Jhartarang within Brahmani Tarang police limits here.
In another instance on October 5, 2017, a nine-year-old boy Adi Soy riding pillion in a two-wheeler rode by his 14-year-old brother was killed after a four-wheeler hit their vehicle on the Ring Road near Singhasani temple in Uditnagar. The duo was returning from private tuition when the mishap occurred.