Underage Drivers
LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) made a pivotal decision on Tuesday, intervening in the treatment of underage drivers by authorities. The court, presided over by Judge Ali Zia Bajwa, issued an order prohibiting the detention of underage drivers in police lockups. Furthermore, the judge directed that cases related to driving license violations should not be registered against these young drivers, instead instructing their release on bail.
The legal development came in response to a plea filed by Rana Sikandar Advocate, who raised concerns about the practice of detaining young drivers in police lockups. The plea emphasized that juvenile children were being held in custody over driving license violations.
This decision follows a recent crackdown by Lahore traffic police on underage drivers, initiated after a tragic accident in November that resulted in the loss of six lives within a family, including two infants and two women. During the crackdown, 248 drivers were apprehended, and cases were registered against them.
The Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) of Lahore issued directives to circle and sector in-charges to take stringent actions against underage drivers with the aim of ensuring the safety of road users. These instructions included setting up roadblocks at critical locations to detect and address underage driving. Vehicles and motorcycles operated by underage drivers were to be impounded in police stations, and tickets were to be issued.
In a stern warning to parents, the chief officer cautioned that cases would be registered against the children instead of issuing mere traffic challans. He urged parents not to permit their underage children to operate vehicles.
The Lahore traffic police reported a significant number of challans—22,000—in relation to young drivers throughout the year, reflecting the broader issue of underage individuals engaging in driving activities. The Lahore High Court’s decision stands as a notable step in addressing the legal and regulatory aspects surrounding underage driving and the treatment of juvenile offenders in such cases.
