Daily Times

LAHORE: Under its ‘Child Reform Programme’, the City Traffic Police (CTP) released as many as 3,163 underage drivers and their vehicles after assurances from their parents during the month of October.

Parents of teen drivers were also warned of a strict against in case they would allow their children to drive.

Underage driving is fast becoming a major dilemma of the society, which is claiming several precious lives on a daily basis due to rising number of traffic incidents.

The CTP had earlier launched a massive crackdown on underage drivers travelling without licences across the roads of provincial capital.

Sources said that the record of underage drivers was also being computerised to punish such parents who would allow their children to drive.

The CTP has also appointed road safety officers in all traffic sectors to educate not only juvenile drivers but also their parents.

A statement quoting Lahore Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) SSP Rai Ijaz said that smooth flow of traffic and safety of commuters was a top priority of the CTP. He said that parents must discourage their underage children from driving, which could be fatal not only for them but also for other road users.

He said that a massive traffic rules awareness drive had been launched in educational institutes where senior police officers were not only delivering lectures on traffic rules but also distributing pamphlets and booklets among students.

The CTO said that lack of awareness regarding traffic rules was mainly responsible for road accidents. He said that traffic wardens were trying their best to ensure safe smooth flow of traffic across the city.

He said it was the prime responsibility of parents to discourage their underage children from driving or wheeling. “We have set up a state-of-the-art training school at Police Lines where hundreds of students are being trained on traffic rules on a monthly basis.

The CTO also directed wardens to take a strict action against violators of traffic rules in accordance with the law and keep a vigilant eye on suspicious vehicles.

Published in Daily Times, October 23^rd 2017.