Pune City Police Crack Down On Underage Driving: Vehicles To Be ImpoundedÂ
Pune City Police Crack Down On Underage Driving: Vehicles To Be Impounded ( Representational image )
The Pune city police have unveiled a new strategy to combat underage driving by deciding to impound vehicles operated by minors, both two-wheelers and four-wheelers, and retain them for a year. This initiative aims to curb the growing trend of underage driving and enhance road safety.
This policy follows a tragic accident on May 19 in Kalyaninagar, where a minor driving a Porsche Taycan collided with a motorcycle, leading to the deaths of two tech professionals.
Previously, police would summon the parents of the underage drivers, register cases against them, and bring the matter before the courts. The new approach, which will be implemented this week, involves holding the vehicles at police stations to prevent minors from driving them again.
Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Patil stated, “By seizing the vehicles and keeping them for a year, we intend to deter minors from driving and consequently reduce related accidents.”
However, road safety experts have raised concerns about the practicality of this measure. Critics argue that vehicle owners might challenge the impoundment in court and could secure the release of their vehicles. Additionally, there are concerns about the limited space at police stations to accommodate the seized vehicles.
In response, Patil assured, “If a court orders the release of a vehicle, we will comply with the decision. For space issues, we plan to utilize larger facilities available at some police stations.”
Under Section 199A of the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act, the police are empowered not only to impound vehicles driven by minors but also to request the Regional Transport Officer (RTO) to cancel the vehicle’s registration for 12 months. This section also prevents minors from obtaining a driving license until they reach 25 years of age and permits legal action against the parents of underage drivers.
Patil added, “Our teams will monitor drivers, focusing on physical appearances to identify potential underage drivers. If a minor is detected driving, the vehicle will be impounded. We will inform the RTO to cancel the vehicle’s registration and ensure the minor cannot get a driving license until they are 25.”
In April, the Pimpri Chinchwad police’s traffic branch conducted a special drive targeting minors under 16 who were driving two-wheelers. This initiative resulted in fines for 571 minors across various locations.
