Underage Driving: A Necessary Evil To Avoid

[Akash1886]

Underage Driving: A Necessary Evil To Avoid.​

Buddies,

Driving is an integral part of everyone’s life be it a 2-wheeler or 4-wheeler. However, to enjoy the bliss of driving it is always safe to drive once the person attains the requisite legal age to drive. Prior to that age, driving any sort of vehicle is a danger for the novice driver as well as the fellow motorists and pedestrians on the road. As our forum is all about cars and driving, hence, I thought of sharing this one major aspect of being safe on roads and driving in a polished manner so that the youth never shall end up in an awkward situation and neither do their families have to face any insult.

As the title says, Underage driving is nothing less than a necessary evil which at all costs needs to be addressed on priority first by parents, then by educational institutions and then by the civic authorities. It is known that today’s traffic scenario is not friendly for anyone so those who are below-18 like school kids should be mindful of the fact that they shouldn’t venture out on the road with any vehicle just for the heck of it or to show-off among friends. Now, many would think, why I preach, the reason is that I observe this pattern of underage driving in Delhi-NCR and many other cities rather closely.

The most prominent age group that I have come across in this case is the 13-17 years old. Parents without any hesitation provide the teenagers with 2-wheeler and once the keys are handed over, they feel the world is under their feet. They drive in the most dangerous way whether in traffic or on open roads. Majority of them pay no heed towards their own safety and that of others on the road. Mostly they are least bothered about the traffic rules. One can see them driving with minimum 3 teenagers on a bike or scooter without helmet or any protective gear. And if with their negligence they meet with unfortunate mishap the only person to be blamed is the bigger vehicle no matter even if that vehicle tries to avoid the collision in due time gets maximum damage.

Talking about 4 Wheeler, Having half-knowledge about anything is as dangerous as having no knowledge at all. In every urban household, we have at least one vehicle in present day, hence, the kid of the house does not suppress his urge to drive that vehicle and takes it for a drive with friends or alone without knowledge of parents and in some cases the parents become over-confident and give the keys to the kids. This is the most pathetic scenario where in parents even after knowing the consequences put their child’s life on stake. There are on daily basis innumerable mishaps involving under age driving and with these mishaps what we loose is a precious life which could have been saved if the parents would have been more concerned and vigilant. I personally feel that the reason behind rise of such unfortunate mishaps is nothing but the urge of the kid and fulfilling the demands of kids by the parents.

As on our forum we do have many teenagers who wait to place their hands on the steering and also ride bikes et al, I in the interest of their safety and the safety of those who view our forum would like to mention certain suggestions which shall enable them to learn about the right perspective of driving.

• Goes without saying though, never ride/drive a vehicle until you are 18 years.

• Never fall for peer-pressure. This is one of the most significant reason which gives rise to underage driving.

• Never hide your urge to drive, share with your parents. They are the best judge for the child.

• Gain knowledge of safe driving by observing fellow motorists. Read articles and literature.

• If you are learning to drive/ride, never drive/ride alone on roads or colony compounds. Always be accompanied by a responsible pillion or co-driver.

• It is always necessary to have sound knowledge of traffic rules once you ride/learn to drive a vehicle.

• Parents need to be vigilant enough in addressing the pre-mature driving urges of their kids and show them the right way.

• Respect all vehicles including yours on the road. Never be an insane rider/driver.

• Respect all people on the road. Its not just that on the whole road you are the only one to ride/drive.

• The educational institutions should actively participate in teaching responsible driving by adding it into curriculum just like many of them have inducted ‘Self Defense’ as a activity.

• This is especially for the youth, never be over-confident of your skills.

So buddies, I feel with the above suggestions, we may provide some thoughtful insights to our extremely advanced youth/teenage generation and hope that the under-age driving is curbed to some extent.

Regards

Akash

 

[GrandRk]

Re: Underage Driving: A Necessary Evil To Avoid.

Nice article Akash , i agree with you on the points mentioned for underage driving. I strongly feel that parents are due responsible to control such teenage driving habits. Apart from two wheeler and four wheeler i would specially like to add cyclist as well, these small kids take their cycles onto roads skipping eyes of their parents.

Currently school vacations are going on hence such teenage driving is on boom. Mostly these children somehow convince their parents that they will ride slow or within apartment parking and then slowly take their rides out from these limits directly on roads.

Most of the roadside shops who have half way converted their shops into home and having toddlers with them gives me goosebumps while driving my car, because from no where these toddlers come out from these homes on their tricycle directly on road.

 

[VISHNUCARCRAZY]

Nice thread,but as myself recollecting those days when as a teen 13 year old,i had wished the authorities concerned to give junior's license to drive 2 wheelers,at age 15 atleast.
Then for Motor vehicle with gear at 18 will do.
Sadly,now also the statement prevails Learners license only for 18 year.
It is true that children's don't get mature enough to drive.
But as a 20year old ,what i believe is (Not to hurt any senior members here),License validity should be stopped at age above 60-65,as their brain's reaction time also decreases.

 

[Akash1886]

what i believe is (Not to hurt any senior members here),License validity should be stopped at age above 60-65,as their brain's reaction time also decreases.

Vishnu, in one of my earliest threads, I did ask the same question. See Here. However, In context of this article, I do hope that our teenagers may surely think and benefit from the right ways of ethical driving.

Regards

Akash

 

[Rajvel]

Even this depends on the maturity level! I was driving from 16. Now im 19.
But i accept the fact that most of the teenagers do a rash driving, which is equally harmful for society and them. One could easily accept the point that maturity for proper driving develops after crunching miles.

 

[nmm mithra]

Yes, you are right rajvel people learn much by crunching more miles but that is an major issue for increasing accidents as they don't know what to do in a heavy traffic and suddenly these people would come into our lane with the wrong indicators indicating the opposite direction but they would suddenly jump onto our lane.

To reduce these types of mistakes, each and every people must learn how to drive slower as they come to know about the vehicle's behaviour and second each and every people must learn thoroughly their cycling lessons as cycling helps a person to know how much the wind blows to them and it helps them to balance with the cycle at lower speeds which in turn helps them to be more comfortable with the bikes in a heavy traffic.

 

[VISHNUCARCRAZY]

Yes Rajvel,
The more you drive, you will come into more relaxed driving practices,as you will loose the eager that you had in your first days,though the passion of driving never dies off.

 

[K!NkY]

But that doesn't justify an underage driving. Driving maturity also could be attained at proper age. It is the parents who should be counselled first as they give the machine to young lads.

 

[saroya]

Some of my fellow TAI members may disagree , but i am completely against those self trained drivers. People learn 2-3 times in parking lot or any open area how to control the steering and on third day declare themselves trained driver and start driving on roads. These are mostly those guys that you can see driving with ORVMs closed, without seatbelt fastened , mobile in hand , driving insanely on wrong side etc. And i think these are the creatures who press accelerator instead of brakes in dangerous emergency situations.
I just want to say there are driving schools to learn how to drive safely . Please do not risk your and other's lives .

 

[Akash1886]

Buddies, I would like to share my experience with you all. My extended family i.e relatives stay in a city called Bareilly in U.P. I often have seen there that children who are hardly 14-15 years drive 2-wheeler and that too without helmet. They pass through main crossing there in presence of traffic police even without slightest of fear. Parents there feel its OK since traffic speed is not much around 30-40 km/h and majority of traffic is that of cycle rickshaw, 3 wheeler and 2 Wheeler. It is really bad that parents are not really worried about this issue.

Regards

Akash

 

[GrandRk]

Buddies, I would like to share my experience with you all. My extended family i.e relatives stay in a city called Bareilly in U.P. I often have seen there that children who are hardly 14-15 years drive 2-wheeler and that too without helmet. They pass through main crossing there in presence of traffic police even without slightest of fear. Parents there feel its OK since traffic speed is not much around 30-40 km/h and majority of traffic is that of cycle rickshaw, 3 wheeler and 2 Wheeler. It is really bad that parents are not really worried about this issue.

Regards

Akash

As i said earlier, parents are highly responsible for teenage accidents. If any parent want their children to drive then they should spare some time by accompanying themselves along with their children and teach them driving habits and senses.

Hope the accompanying parent should be enough good in their own driving else it will give birth to generation of bad drivers.

 

[generalmax]

Had seen 10 year old driving cars,bikes and even an excavator (JCB). Who taught them ? Daddy.If something happens who gets the blame.Daddy .So all Daddys here note that however cute your son or daughter looks driving a car, don't do that,till he or she gets a proper training and gets to the specified age.

See the link below.The child's father is a notorious business man and now he is under custody for killing a watchman by driving a hummer on him. So basically unsocial people creates unsocial kids. Its nothing to be proud of.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3lFRsvweoXM

 

[VISHNUCARCRAZY]

That's what my dad did,he strictly told,till you get license no keys to you.Now i understand why he said so.Proud of my dad.

 

[nmm mithra]

In my case my dad was compelling me to take the keys and drive the two wheeler alone before getting my license so that i could learn driving before i get my license and i almost refused to take the keys and told my dad that i will drive the vehicle on roads only when i get my driving license. ( The main thing behind this was, i was more afraid to drive the vehicle in congested traffic and i was also afraid of the traffic police ). So i was driving a cycle the all day till i got my driving license.

But then now i am not afraid of anything.

 

[GrandRk]

IMHO getting license and knowing driving are just like two ends of roads. Most of us knows how license are issued in our country. So even if you get permanent license, still for some period on time you should take somebody along with you who is good in driving skills and can guide you on the road