The State Government of Maharashtra has amended the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. The move aims to curb the menace of underage driving. The provisions of the act now impose stricter penalties on not just the offenders but also their parents.
New section of the Motor Vehicles Act
The Government has updated the act with a new Section 199 (A). This pertains to ‘offences by juveniles’. Due to the rampant underage driving, especially in rural areas, this rule was added.
Now, minors caught riding or driving without a licence will be penalised appropriately. For instance, the Court will now assume that the usage of the car or bike by the underage person was done with the consent of the parents/guardian or the vehicle owner.
The penalty for this offence is imprisonment upto 3 years and a fine of INR 25,000. This is faced by the parents or the vehicle owner.
Additionally, the minor will face a custodial sentence in a Juvenile Detention Centre. This will be in accordance with the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000. Furthermore, persons prosecuted under this will be disbarred from applying for a licence till the age of 25. The vehicle driven will have its registration cancelled for a period of 1 year.
Road Safety in India
Recently, the government has been proactive in making various safety related rules. These include higher fines for offences like speeding, signal jumping etc. On the vehicle front, helmets are now mandatory for both rides on a two wheelers while wearing of seatbelts is compulsory for all occupants of a car.
A recent survey noted that safety is the top priority for new car buyers. The study found that 9 out of 10 car buyers believe that all cars should have a safety rating. The number of airbags and crash ratings were identified as the two most influential factors in making a purchase decision. Fuel efficiency ranked as the third most important feature.
Also Read – 9/10 buyers in India want safer cars with safety rating.