Chandigarh: The Punjab Traffic Police have put on hold their planned enforcement drive against underage motorists for the next three weeks. The campaign to check for drivers below the age of 18 was scheduled to start from August 1st but has now been postponed until August 20th.
Senior officials held discussions with stakeholders and felt that additional time should be provided to allow families to arrange alternate transportation for their children. Last month, the Additional Director General of Police (Traffic and Road Safety) had directed officers across the state to increase awareness about the legal ramifications of underage driving.
As per the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act 2019, parents can face imprisonment of up to 3 years and a fine of Rs. 25,000 if their minor child is caught operating a motor vehicle. However, considering the need to plan for compliance, the police department has granted a longer window before strict enforcement of this provision begins.
The focus of the upcoming drive will be on ensuring road safety by preventing ineligible and under-trained drivers from accessing motorized transport prematurely. Once it is launched, authorities will keep close watch in all districts and take necessary action per the guidelines issued by top police officials in the state.
