School and college students drive vehicles flouting traffic norms. Pictures by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, June 23: Schoolchildren here continue to drive vehicles beyond the permissible speed limits and without driving licences.

To check traffic violations, police are now contemplating to launch a crackdown after holding an awareness drive amon school students in the city.

“We will write to all the school principals. Subsequently, steps will be taken to create awareness about road safety among the students. Later, the violators will be punished,” said deputy commissioner of police Praveen Kumar.

Kumar said schoolchildren driving vehicles was not only dangerous for themselves, but also risky for others.

Police said an awareness drive was likely to start from June 27 and they would begin its crackdown from July.

Under the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, no person can drive a motor vehicle in any public area unless he holds a valid driving licence.

The eligibility for obtaining a learner’s licence for a motor vehicle of 50cc engine capacities and without any gear is 16 years (provided the applicant’s parents give their consent).

The minimum age to apply for a permanent licence to drive motor vehicles is 18 years.

It has been observed that many school students are driving vehicles, including two wheelers ranging from 100cc to 125cc engines, without a valid license and beyond the permissible limit.

Many of them do not follow the road safety norms, including putting on helmets. A Class X student of Gandarpur DAV died in a road mishap on Ring Road near Matamatha on Saturday last.

“I badly need a motorcycle, as I have to attend three tuitions which are held after my school hour,” said Rohit Patra, a student.

Rohit, who stays at Link Road, attends his school and tuitions at Kanika and Mission Road, one of the busiest roads in the city. “Moreover, using own transport saves time, as we don’t have to depend on autorickshaw,” he said.

“It is more than four years that we have asked our students not to bring their own vehicles to school. Moreover, many students are using vehicles at their own risk,” said Asha Das, principal of Stewart school.

Das said a workshop on road safety and prohibition of vehicles for students would be organised to create awareness among the students in this regard tomorrow.

Apart from the schoolchildren, many youngsters, including college-goers, are also violating the traffic norms by not wearing helmets and indulging in reckless driving in the city.

Police said adequate steps were being taken to put a check on rash driving. Moreover, the offenders were regularly being fined during special drives at major streets in the city.