Hyderabad traffic police warn parents as minor driving cases cross 2,500

Hyderabad Traffic Police has intensified its crackdown on minor driving, warning parents of legal action for allowing children to drive. Over 2,500 cases were registered this year, with hundreds of vehicle registrations suspended following violations involving juveniles.

Hyderabad: With incidents of minors driving vehicles becoming increasingly common across the city, the Hyderabad Traffic Police has launched an aggressive enforcement campaign, warning parents and guardians that they will be held equally responsible for allowing children to get behind the wheel.

Officials said the drive comes amid a worrying rise in cases involving juveniles driving cars and two-wheelers without valid licences, posing a serious threat to public safety. The department is combining strict legal action with counselling and awareness programmes to discourage underage driving.

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According to traffic police data, 2,539 cases of minor driving were registered in Hyderabad between January and May this year. Authorities have also suspended the registration certificates (RCs) of 719 vehicles this year after they were found to be driven by minors.

Police said the Motor Vehicles Act provides stringent penalties for such violations. Under Section 199A, the registration of a vehicle used by a juvenile can be suspended for one year. The minor can also be barred from obtaining a driving licence until the age of 25. Parents or guardians who knowingly allow a child to drive can face criminal prosecution, with punishment extending to three years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 25,000.

The latest crackdown follows a string of incidents that triggered public concern. In one case, a father was booked after a video surfaced online showing his 11-year-old son driving a luxury car on the Outer Ring Road near Shamshabad.

The campaign also gained momentum after a viral video showed a minor girl driving a car in Narsingi while her grandfather, a serving police Sub-Inspector, sat in the front passenger seat.

Traffic police said vehicle owners who permit unlicensed persons to drive are liable for action under the Motor Vehicles Act. Minors caught driving are produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and may be sent for counselling and community service.