Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jun 18: The high court, through an order, has asked home department to make sure that parents of the children below 16 who are seen driving two-wheelers and other vehicles in public places and roads, are booked for offences under different provisions of the act.

Convinced of the fact that accidents are increasing on account of minor children who drive different vehicles, the single judge bench presided over by Justice Satyanarayana has told the government to file first information reports against parents who illegally permit their children to ride vehicles. 'Charge sheets should be filed in these cases. The parents who fail to properly educate their children about the need to obey legal provisions should be subjected to legal scrutiny and punished as per section 143 (3) of Motor Vehicles Act 1988,' he ordered.

The bench has accordingly directed the principal secretary in the department of home to issue notification to that effect immediately.

The court has further directed to register cases against owners of the vehicles that are given to children below 16 years of age, and people above 18 years who do not possess driving licences. The bench noted that the parents illegally give vehicles to minor to ride, cause problems for the society, and then try to get protection by claiming them to be minors. Such things can disturb peace in the society on a large scale, the bench said, expressing its concern.

The bench said that as per section 143 (3) of Motor Vehicles Act, two-wheelers with capacity of less than 100 CCs do not have provision to fit pillion seats. 'Even if such seats are provided, they have no permission to carry pillion riders. But this rule is not followed by majority of people,' it said, and asked traffic police to levy appropriate fines on the guilty.

It has also asked schools and colleges to educate children coming in vehicles against using them if they do not conform to legal provisions.

These observations and directions came in connection with a case in which two youngsters, both aged 14, were driving a scooty at Mysuru in 2009. This vehicle had hit a Qualis car which came from the opposite direction. The subordinate court had ordered the owner of the Qualis car to pay compensation of Rs 9.52 lac to these two teenagers. The Qualis owner approached high court against this order, during which, advocate Krishnaswamy, representing the insurance company, had drawn the attention of the bench towards the increasing trend of young children riding vehicles, which has been causing accidents. The bench also ordered parents of the above teenagers to meet 25 percent of compensation amount.