Underage drivers hit Rawalpindi roads

Juvenile motorists and bikers are more and more hitting the city’s streets sans parental approval. There has been a steady rise in the number of underage drivers and registration of cases against them is rare.

The favourite spots of minor drivers are stretches of Murree Road, Airport Road, Rawal Road and Service Roads and Islamabad Expressway where they indulge in wheelies.

“Parents should keep a watch on their children’s activities. Teenagers get excited at the wheel and end up causing accidents. Most of them are in the 13-17 age group who are still in school,” says Basit Reza.

The drive against adolescent riders assumes significance as road accidents involving under-age drivers are on the rise in the city. Just a few days ago, a 16-year-old school girl was admitted to the hospital with serious injuries after the car she was driving in skidded near Rawal road,” says Rajab Ali.

“Though data is not available, it can be safely said that almost three to four mishaps occur every week. Minor accidents where no one is seriously injured go unreported,” adds Rajab.

“On daily basis I see impulsive and careless youngsters with golf caps, instead of helmets, on their bikes whizzing past the passer-by pretty damsels, honking wildly, and endangering the life of other commuters driving on the streets. It’s just unacceptable,” says Tajjamul Hussain, an advocate.

“For clipping the wings of freedom of underage riders, the Rawalpindi Police should request the people and parents and heads of educational institutions to identify students going to the institutes on macho-bikes and elegant flashy cars.

The principals of educational institutions should also be asked to verify their age from the official records before informing the police for enabling them to act against the violators,” says Abiha Batool.

“The purpose should be to check if some of the students are riding high after procuring fake licenses or original ones after forging age certificates. The principals of educational institutions should also be requested to write notes to parents asking them to prevent the young innocent boys from zipping down the roads to the institute premises,” Abiha adds.

“The police should make announcements on the public address systems at the traffic signals all over the city to prevent the offenders from "dodging the probing eyes of the police by parking their vehicles in the markets near the residential premises," says Baneen Rizvi.

“If one stops at the traffic signals any day during the afternoon, one should be able to hear a cop's stiff voice coming from the overhead speakers telling the commuters of legal action that can be taken against the minor drivers, together with the impounding of vehicles,” adds Baneen.