The mishap near Dhakuria Lake on Wednesday, in which an Alto driven by a school boy hit three college girls, was not an isolated incident. Reckless driving by underage motorists has been giving traffic police sleepless nights for some time.

More and more school students, many of them from reputed institutions, are hitting the road in their family cars, jeopardising the lives of pedestrians. The cops are struggling for ways to curb the trend.

“We could not imagine that something like this would happen. How would we know that a Class XI student would dare drive in broad daylight under the influence of alcohol?” asked deputy commissioner of police (traffic department) Jawed Shamim.

“This is a glaring example of reckless driving. Besides, the boy who was at the wheels was not supposed to be driving as he is not yet 18. Drinking and driving is on the rise among the young generation. Youngsters are overconfident and reckless while driving,” added Shamim.

According to officers of the traffic department, a large number of students take their family cars or motorcycles for a spin on holidays.

“A group of three to four teenagers moving around in an expensive car is a common sight on holidays. They often drive recklessly. Even on weekdays, they can be seen zigzagging along thoroughfares in congested localities in the city and Salt Lake. They frequently drive by women’s institutions,” said an officer.

To bring down underage driving, the traffic department has decided to randomly ask young motorists to produce their driving licence.

“If we suspect that the document is forged, we will ask him to produce an age proof as early as possible. If the youth fails to do so, the licence will be seized and an investigation initiated into the matter,” stated the officer.

Police will soon get in touch with the public vehicles department, which issues driving licences, in this regard. “The detective department will track down people involved in supply of fake licences,” said deputy commissioner (detective department) Gyanwant Singh.

Traffic department officers said the underage drivers tend to exceed the speed limit. “As a result, they lose control. Mishaps due to speeding are common on Sundays. The youths flout road rules and end up in a mess,” said Shamim.