Hyderabad: 69 Parents Jailed For Allowing Minors To Drive

The Hyderabad Traffic police (HTP), as part of its ongoing drive to check underage driving in the city, has jailed 69 parents during the last month for allowing minors to drive, PTI has reported.

Five minors had been killed in road accidents in Hyderabad during January prompting the HTP to launch the strict initiative.

As part of its effort to eliminate underage driving, fathers of the 69 minors were charged under Section 180 of the Motor Vehicle Act which prohibits allowing vehicles to be driven by unauthorised people.

The parents were produced in local courts following the offences and were handed out prison sentences of one or three days by the local courts, apart from fines.

"We have been imposing fines through the courts for the past two years. But it did not have desired impact. Following the series of road mishaps involving minors we went severely against minor driving," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) A V Ranganath said.

Three minors were also sent to juvenile homes as part of the drive for driving without licence.

"This drive will continue till this year-end and we want to stabilise it," Ranganath added.