PANAJI: Virtually red-flagging the issuing of licences to minors, road safety cell of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH) has written to state governments to strictly enforce Motor Vehicles Rules to deter minors from riding two-wheelers.
Section 4 of the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 says, “No person under the age of 18 years shall drive a motor vehicle in any public place, provided that a motorcycle with engine capacity not exceeding 50cc may be driven in a public place by a person after attaining the age of 16 years.”
However, with no vehicles being currently manufactured in the country with engines below 50cc, issuing licences to drive them is virtually nullified.
Assistant Director of Transport Meghashyam Pilankar informed that in view of the observations made by the Supreme Court that the number of deaths due to two-wheeler accidents including that of minors is on the rise, the law was amended.
“The current guidelines are to draw attention and enforce stricter implementation of the rules,” he said.
However, those licences that have already been issued will not be nullified as they were issued as per the earlier rules which permitted issuing of licences to anyone attaining age of 16 years for driving non geared motorcycles, he informed.
The MORTH in its letter to the state governments has observed “It has been noticed that many children below the age of 18 years are riding scooty on way to school.”
Responding a question, Pilankar clarified that since the law now does not permit, those minors, who hold a learner’s licence and wish to apply for a permanent licence, will have to undertake the test trial on a non-geared motorcycle which is below 50cc.
Section 180 states that “for driving a motor vehicle by a minor, the vehicle owner is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or with fine which may extend to Rs 10,000 or with both.”
Stating that it is misconstrued that e-bikes do not require a driving licence, Pilankar informed that e-bikes only up to the capacity of 750 watts do not require registration and hence will not need its rider to hold a licence.
NT Network Goa News
Section 4 of the Motor Vehicles Act of 1988 says, “No person under the age of 18 years shall drive a motor vehicle in any public place, provided that a motorcycle with engine capacity not exceeding 50cc may be driven in a public place by a person after attaining the age of 16 years.”
However, with no vehicles being currently manufactured in the country with engines below 50cc, issuing licences to drive them is virtually nullified.
Assistant Director of Transport Meghashyam Pilankar informed that in view of the observations made by the Supreme Court that the number of deaths due to two-wheeler accidents including that of minors is on the rise, the law was amended.
“The current guidelines are to draw attention and enforce stricter implementation of the rules,” he said.
However, those licences that have already been issued will not be nullified as they were issued as per the earlier rules which permitted issuing of licences to anyone attaining age of 16 years for driving non geared motorcycles, he informed.
The MORTH in its letter to the state governments has observed “It has been noticed that many children below the age of 18 years are riding scooty on way to school.”
Responding a question, Pilankar clarified that since the law now does not permit, those minors, who hold a learner’s licence and wish to apply for a permanent licence, will have to undertake the test trial on a non-geared motorcycle which is below 50cc.
Section 180 states that “for driving a motor vehicle by a minor, the vehicle owner is punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or with fine which may extend to Rs 10,000 or with both.”
Stating that it is misconstrued that e-bikes do not require a driving licence, Pilankar informed that e-bikes only up to the capacity of 750 watts do not require registration and hence will not need its rider to hold a licence.
NT Network Goa News
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