Cases of minors driving vehicles on rise in Karimnagar

Despite the efforts of the police and Transport department with awareness programmes on the consequences of minor driving, some of the parents are still giving vehicles to their minor children.

Karimnagar: Despite strict rules being in place, instances of minors driving vehicles and getting caught is on the rise in the district.

According to rules, parents or vehicle owners will be punished if an accident occurs while their minor wards drive vehicles. Police are counseling parents when minor children were found driving vehicles. However, despite the efforts of the police and Transport department with awareness programmes on the consequences of minor driving, some of the parents are still giving vehicles to their minor children.

---

One month ago, a 16-year-old boy along with his friends went to Ujwala park area on the outskirts of Karimnagar town in the night on a two-wheeler. While returning home, he crashed the bike on an electric pole and died. In another incident a couple of years ago, four persons died and four others injured when a speeding car driven by a minor hit roadside vendors at Kothirampur area in Karimnagar.

Though vehicle checking is being done frequently, minors driving vehicles are creating panic among other road users with their rash driving. Though cases have been registered, minors are not staying away from driving. As a result, the number of minor driving cases have increased every year.

While 32 cases were registered in 2022, the figure scaled to 231 in 2023. A total of 78 cases were registered by July this year.

Police officials advised the parents not to give vehicles to their children since it was not only dangerous to their wards but also to other road users.