Nearly 50 per cent of those fined by transport authorities from January for driving without licence are students.
“Most of the students are negligent when it comes to road safety. This is despite the fact that we conduct awareness programmes on road safety in colleges consistently,” says K. Kalyanakumar, Regional Transport Officer (Madurai North).
Driving without licence attracts a fine of Rs. 500. While 95 per cent of four-wheeler drivers do not drive without licence, the highest number of cases was registered against two-wheeler riders, according to transport authorities.
“Most of the students ride the motorbikes of their parents without their knowledge. A few colleges in the city and outskirts have restrictions on first-year students riding two-wheelers. But the students find ways to use two-wheelers outside the college,” Mr. Kalyanakumar says.
A faculty member of an engineering college situated on a highway notes that on a few occasions, parents have opposed the rule prohibiting first-year students from riding motorbikes to college.
“The highway near our college is prone to accidents. Students who are just out of school often tend to over-speed for thrill. When we try to reason out with parents, they say that the restriction is unnecessary,” he says.
According to Motor Vehicle Inspector J. Poornalatha, a large number of college students without licence borrow motorbikes of their friends. “They do not take the motorbikes to their college because the institutions insist on licences to permit parking. But that is not the case outside,” she says.
On several occasions, school students have been reprimanded for riding motorbikes of their parents to attend morning tuition, authorities say.
They also expressed concern over the new trend of bike racing becoming popular in the city.
“There is a spurt in the number of instances of students over-speeding, sometimes even within the city limits. Racing is becoming popular among students on the highways, particularly on Sundays,” says Ms. Poornalatha.
“What is disturbing is that students, who get used to the thrill of racing, bring more students into the sport,” she concludes.
