Most of my Snapchat and Instagram stories boast of teenagers posting their steering wheel, or car keys, or blaring loud music, while driving. Can you identify all the mistakes in the line above? If not, then maybe you are a part of the problem too.
‘In India, the eligibility for obtaining a Learner’s Licence for a private motor vehicle for a vehicle of 50 CC engine capacity and without any gear, is 16 years (if the applicant’s parents or guardians give their consent). The minimum age to apply for a permanent licence to drive a private motor vehicle is 18 years.’ The failure to stop teenagers from driving before attaining the legal age is one of the primary reasons for the trouble on roads. Irrespective of how good a driver you are, driving illegally is WRONG. This not only invokes peers to start driving, but also becomes a major cause of tension for their parents. Newspapers are filled with saddening news about deaths of teenagers. I personally know acquaintances who could have been in fatal accidents.
Parents must be extremely vigilant about their children driving before turning 18. An article by TOI says that parents must pay for teenage driving. I am not talking about 2 wheelers, the legal age as mentioned above for that is 16. The bigger issue is dealing with 4 wheelers, which have been a cause of menace lately. A recent survey in Kerala shows that Parents are not effectively controlling or restricting their boys (the study was on teenage boys) from driving, and in fact may be encouraging them. These teenage students are mostly not aware of traffic rules and only a few are practising safety measures, like wearing a helmet.
The second major issue is snap-chatting videos of driving and blaring loud music. This has become a status symbol and apparently makes you ‘cool’. There are several videos all over Youtube boasting of driving at a high speed, while snap-chatting the same. In fact, Snapchat actually warns users not to use the app while driving. Yet, it is blatantly ignored by most of its users.
Snapchatting while driving is worse than drunk driving. Research shows that the reaction time of someone who is drunk driving is slowed by 12%, whereas someone using his/her phone behind the wheel is 38% distracted! More than 16 million users admit to using the app to take photos and videos when operating a vehicle. And the most surprising fact is, somewhere these kids do realise that this is awfully wrong.
So, what can be done about the impending danger?
- First of all, parents need to be extremely vigilant. They must obey and ask their kids to obey the law
- Secondly, phones and driving is the toxic relationship no one should have.
- Thirdly, underage driving should be STRICTLY penalised.
The Motor Vehicle Act (MVA) 1988, Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989 and State Motor Vehicle Rules are the legal instruments for the conduct of road traffic in India. Some of the common offences and the consequent penalties are listed below:
- Allowing the vehicle to be driven by a person who does not possess a valid licence- Fine up to Rs 1000 or imprisonment up to 3 months or both
- Driving without a valid licence- Fine up to Rs 500 or imprisonment up to 3 months or both.
- Using Mobile Phones while driving- First offence: Fine up to Rs. 100; subsequent offence: Fine up to Rs. 300
I’ll leave this message on a simple note:
The post To All The Teenagers Posting On Instagram While Driving, STOP ALREADY appeared first and originally on Youth Ki Awaaz and is a copyright of the same. Please do not republish.