Tengpora tragedy sparks debate on minors’ driving, reckless road culture

Srinagar, Nov 15: The tragic accident on the outskirts of Srinagar on Thursday, where two school students lost their lives, has cast a harsh light on society’s failure to prevent minors from driving and the alarming trend of youth engaging in dangerous stunt biking and racing.

Many stakeholders have expressed shock over the accident where a speeding Thar met with an accident on the Tengpora Bypass, leaving two minors dead and injuring the third gravely.

The role of traffic law enforcement, parental control over children, and disallowing children to drive have been the focal point of discussions.

SSP Traffic Srinagar, Muzaffar Ahmed Shah shared his concerns, attributing decades of conflict to a general disregard for traffic rules.

“Minors are frequently seen driving to schools and colleges, with parental approval. Social media further fuels this dangerous trend as youngsters post videos of reckless driving and stunts online,” Shah said. He recounted that one of the victims in the Tengpora accident had been previously counselled along with his parents, but there was ‘no change’.

Shah said that even licensed drivers often demonstrate poor knowledge of traffic protocols or choose to ignore them, worsening the city’s road safety.

Official data from the J&K Traffic Police paint a grim picture: 893 deaths and 8469 injuries from 6298 accidents in the region last year.

In the current year, up to September, there have already been 4457 accidents, resulting in 621 deaths and 6122 injuries.

J&K remains one of the states with the highest rates of fatalities and disabilities due to road traffic accidents.

RTO Srinagar, Syed Shahnawaz Bukhari expressed sorrow over the Tengpora accident, emphasising the immense challenge of regulating traffic in the city.

“We have around 3.5 to 4 lakh vehicles on Srinagar’s roads every day,” he said, highlighting the imbalance of enforcement resources.

Only four personnel from the RTO and a limited number from the Traffic Police are responsible for managing this heavy traffic.

Despite their best efforts, violations by minors remain persistent.

“Challans and punitive actions alone are not the solution,” he said. “A societal change is needed. Parents and children are aware that it’s illegal for minors to drive, yet they still do it.”

Bukhari pointed to Section 199A, a law introduced in 2021, which holds parents accountable.

The penalties include a three-year jail term and a Rs 25,000 fine if their child is caught driving without a license.

He urged “responsible parenting” and called for religious and community leaders to play a role in advocating safer practices.

He too blamed the “social media culture” for the rise in traffic offences by minors and said it was the duty of every mohalla and every school to ensure there was ‘zero tolerance’ for minors on the wheels.

Many leaders expressed their anguish over the rising number of road accidents.