60+ FIRs registered against parents of minor drivers

NOIDA: Both the Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad traffic police departments have launched intensified checking drives across the two district to penalise violators especially the underage drivers, said officials on Thursday.

Noida’s DCP (traffic), Anil Kumar Yadav said that police have received directions from headquarters in Lucknow to remain vigil and penalise traffic violators. “We are conducting enforcement drives outside schools and academic institutions in Noida and Greater Noida. It has been started from July 10 and will go on till July 20,” Yadav said.

“The drive will focus especially on underage drivers. An FIR may be registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanita (BNS) against the vehicle owners or parents if minors are caught driving two-wheelers and/or four-wheelers on roads of the district” Yadav added.

According to police officials, a total of 10 FIR, 5 each on Wednesday and Thursday, have been registered in past two days against parents or guardians of minors caught driving near schools, malls and coaching centres. As many as 16 vehicles have been seized during the two days’s drive.

“Apart from the cases of underage driving, a total of 7716 challan have been issued while 24 vehicles were seized across different police stations of Gautam Buddh Nagar district on Thursday. The drive will intensify in the incoming days,” DCP Yadav added.

Similarly in Ghaziabad, police registered as many as 50 FIRs of traffic violations by minor between from July 6 to July 11. These FIRs were registered, mostly in Kavi Nagar, Vijay Nagar, Kotwali and Indirapuram police stations.

Police said that the FIRs have been registered under BNS Section 125 (endangering life or personal safety of others) and Section 199A of the Motor Vehicles Act.

Section 199A of the MV Act says that the guardian of a minor or the owner of the vehicle will be punished if road norms are violated by a minor. This law is punishable with a fine of Rs 25,000, three years in jail, or both. The vehicle’s registration can be cancelled for 12 months as well, and the minor cannot get a licence till 25 years of age. Conviction under Section 125 of BNS is punishable with imprisonment up to 3 months, or fine, or both.

No arrests have been made so far, but police will submit a charge sheet and then take further action, said cops.