Students ride two-wheelers despite ban by school education department
Picture for representational purpose
Coimbatore: School students continue to merrily ride motor cycles to their schools in Coimbatore, throwing to the winds the state government's recent stern order banning minors driving two-wheelers to schools.“A circular has been sent, 10 days ago, to all schools asking them to ban students coming by two-wheelers. The school principals were entrusted with the task of ensuring compliance among students,” said A Gnana Gowri chief education officer.
While persons below 18 years are entitled to drive only vehicles below 50 cc, several school going students could be seen driving high-powered vehicles in violation. The transport department too is yet to launch a crackdown under-aged students riding motor vehicles.However, P. Muruganandam, deputy transport commissioner, Coimbatore circle, insists that a drive is under way to curb violators. The official said that if students are caught driving motor vehicles, then the vehicle would be seized immediately and parents summoned for violation.
“As part of the ongoing drive against traffic violations, almost 40 cases were booked for driving without license for three days from July 25. This includes cases for underage driving also,” he said.The transport department has been making sustained efforts to create awareness among school students to prevent minors from driving vehicles to schools, he said.
As per the Motor Vehicles Act, no person below the age of 18 shall drive a motor vehicle, but they are permitted to drive only gearless vehicles below 50 CC.
“Students who are below 18-year-old can ride below 50 cc motorcycles. Nowadays, these motorcycles have gone out of fashion and are also hardly available in the market,” said a transport department staff.Corporation and government schools have better compliance, as students too hail from poor families and hardly own vehicles, while students of private schools continue to use two wheelers.
What does Motor Vehicle Act say?
The Motor Vehicle Act clearly says that no person under the age of 18 years shall drive a motor vehicle in any public place and persons can drive a motorcycle with engine capacity not exceeding 50cc after attaining the age of sixteen years. If they did not obey the rules and regulation, they will be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees, or with both.
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