Coimbatore: For minors, riding a motorcycle or driving a car would be all about the kicks it offers and showoff. But in most cases, underage driving ends in a tragedy, claiming the life of an unsuspecting pedestrian or a motorist. What’s worst, not only the lives of underaged drivers at stake, but their parents’ property could be attached for the recovery of compensation for victims.In what could be termed an alarming trend, road accidents caused by underaged drivers are on the rise in Coimbatore city. To date this year, the city has witnessed five major road accidents involving underaged drivers, resulting in two fatalities. This follows a disturbing trend from the previous year, when more than 12 accidents were directly linked to minor drivers. While the city police introduced a zero-tolerance policy, placing responsibility on parents and vehicle owners, to curb underage driving, its results are far from encouraging. In one of the accidents reported this year, the victim was the underaged driver himself. According to a police source, the accident occurred when Varun Dharman, 17, of Gandhipuram, was riding a scooter with two minor friends as pillion riders. “He lost control over the vehicle and fell on the road. Varun suffered severe head injuries, while his friends escaped with minor injuries. Varun later succumbed to his injuries at Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital.” S Ashok Kumar, city deputy police commissioner (traffic), says they have instructed school principals and correspondents to educate students against driving vehicles before obtaining a licence. “As summer holidays are approaching, we are also visiting schools to create awareness among students about the consequences of underage driving.” According to him, parents, guardians and vehicle owners are now being included on the list of offenders if an unlicensed minor causes an accident. “If a minor is caught driving during vehicle checks, a fine of up to Rs25,000 will be imposed (on the parent or vehicle owner) and the vehicle will be seized. Advocate R Kalaiarasu says insurance claims cannot be made when minors are involved in accidents. “Even victims may be unable to claim compensation from insurance companies. Earlier, insurers used to settle such claims first and later recover the amount from the vehicle owner who allowed the minor to drive. However, since 2022, insurance companies have been rejecting such claims. As a result, the vehicle owner or parent who permitted the underage person to drive becomes directly liable.” If the offender’s family is poor and unable to pay compensation, he says, the situation becomes even more difficult. “If the family owns property, the law allows it to be attached for recovery of compensation.” M Periyasamy, traffic inspector (west), says parents would be summoned to the station in underage driving cases. “Counselling sessions are then arranged for both the parents and the offender to explain the consequences of unlicensed driving. A fine of Rs10,000 is imposed on the minor who drove the vehicle, and Rs15,000 on the person who allowed the minor to drive. Repeated violations could lead to heavier fines.”
