In the last thirty days of 2008, the traffic police have challaned only three underage drivers.

Newsline captured a large number of underage drivers in its camera who flout traffic rules, putting in danger not only their lives but that of others on the road as well. Despite several promises by Traffic police to conduct education and awareness drives on traffic rules and regulations, it appears that the entire exercise is falling on deaf ears.

When questioned, senior Superintendent of Traffic police, AS Ahlawat, said, “We challaned about 350 underage drivers in 2007. This is just the beginning. We shall soon intensify our drive against young violators.”

It is pertinent to mention that more than 80 per cent of road accidents claim lives of young two-wheeler riders, particularly in the age group of 19-30. The major killer stretches of the city have been identified as Madhya Marg and Dakshin Marg, from where the maximum number, 70 per cent, of fatal road accidents are reported.

The facts about the reckless young riders are substantiated from reports that most of the school-going children, mainly class ninth onwards till class 10+2 commit maximum traffic violations. Such violations could easily be spotted outside prominent schools in Sector 15, 16, 35, 26, 9, among others after the school hours.

Furthermore, the absence of any checks either from parents or the school authorities only encourage the young minds to blatantly carry on with the violations.