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Minors in Lko admit to driving vehicles without licences at road safety event
While officials stressed helmet use, speed limits, avoiding drunk driving and basic traffic rules, some participants pointed to what they described as weak enforcement. A teenage scout guide from Barabanki said that despite being a minor, he regularly rides a motorcycle in the city. “I have never been stopped by the police. Even if they stop me, they only check the helmet. No one asks for a driving licence,” he said.
Several minors openly admitted to driving vehicles without licenses during a state-organised road safety awareness programme on Wednesday, revealing a significant enforcement gap as they claimed traffic police rarely check their credentials.
The event, held under the Road Safety Programme focusing on the “Role of Scout, Guides in Road Safety,” was attended by around 200 participants, mostly schoolchildren, Scouts and Guides aged 10 to 25. Transport commissioner Kinjal Singh and other senior officials were present. The programme focused on Scout and Guides promoting road safety through public awareness, social media campaigns and collaboration with the traffic police.
While officials stressed helmet use, speed limits, avoiding drunk driving and basic traffic rules, some participants pointed to what they described as weak enforcement. A teenage scout guide from Barabanki said that despite being a minor, he regularly rides a motorcycle in the city. “I have never been stopped by the police. Even if they stop me, they only check the helmet. No one asks for a driving licence,” he said.
Another 16-year-old, originally from Azamgarh and currently living in Lucknow, said he drives a tractor within the city and for agricultural work. “Neither the traffic police nor the RTO (regional transport office) has ever stopped me or issued a challan,” he claimed.
The contrast was notable considering children as young as six or seven were introduced to road signs and traffic rules during the session. However, several younger participants struggled to fully grasp the instructions.
Transport commissioner Kinjal Singh said the department’s strategy was to involve schoolchildren, Scouts and Guides across districts to create awareness within families. “If a child tells a parent to wear a helmet because they are waiting for them at home, the impact is often stronger than official enforcement,” she said.
Singh said the department aimed to reduce accident-related deaths across UP.
“Work is underway to install missing traffic signals, repaint zebra crossings, review engineering designs and identify illegal parking, as per the chief minister’s directives,” she said, adding that departments including PWD, urban local bodies, enforcement agencies and the transport department were all involved in corrective measures to bring down the increasing number of casualties in the state.
