Parents to be penalised for traffic violations by minors

Traffic violations by minors and drunken driving are expected to attract huge penalties as well as imprisonment, even for their parents.

A panel of state transport ministers on Friday unanimously agreed to framing strict penalties for offences like driving by minors, crossing speed limits, drunk driving, talking over phone while driving and jumping traffic lights.

The panel headed by Rajasthan Transport Minister Yunus Khan, which was constituted by the Union Road Transport Ministry to suggest the Centre on road safety issues, held its first meeting here.

Though the existing motor vehicle act has provision to take action against minors driving vehicles, the new rules will have more clarity with harsher penalties.

The group in its recommendations submitted to Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari also suggested online learning licences henceforth, besides uniform forms for transport issues across the country and extending the timeframe for driving licences.

"We have suggested stricter penalties for traffic rule violations and bringing parents of juveniles too under penalty provisions. The amount of the penalty and punishment is yet to be fixed and will be done after proper study of CrPC and IPC provisions," Khan said after the meeting. 

After failing to push new road safety bill in Parliament due to opposition from the states, the Centre constituted the group of ministers (GoM) for framing stricter traffic rules.

After getting suggestions from the GoM on all road transport related issues, the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will send a report to the Cabinet for approval and subsequently be introduced in Parliament for passage.