Juvenile Driving Fatalities Remain a Concerning Issue in India
NEW DELHI: Despite significant increases in penalties and holding guardians accountable for juvenile driving, measures to combat this issue on Indian roads have not proven effective as deterrents. Government statistics reveal that 2,537 juvenile drivers lost their lives in road accidents in 2023, a slight decrease compared to the previous year.
Uttar Pradesh reported the highest fatalities among drivers under 18 years of age, with 573 deaths. This was followed by Haryana with 226 deaths, Madhya Pradesh with 219, and Tamil Nadu recording 187 fatalities. In contrast, Delhi reported 34 such deaths.
Haryana also had the highest number of fatalities among female juvenile drivers, accounting for 51 deaths in 2023. Although juvenile drivers comprised only about 3% of the total 78,810 driver deaths recorded that year, experts emphasize the challenge of raising awareness among parents and guardians regarding the risks posed by juvenile driving.
Data over the past five years illustrates fluctuations in fatalities. In 2019, 2,949 drivers under the age of 18 were killed, a number that dropped to 1,578 in 2020 due to significant restrictions on traffic movement during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, fatalities again rose to 1,804 in 2021 before reaching a peak of 3,446 in 2022.
In response to this troubling trend, the government amended the Motor Vehicles Act in 2019, introducing Section 199A, which places responsibility on guardians or vehicle owners for offenses committed by juveniles. This legislation includes fines of up to ₹25,000 and the possibility of vehicle registration cancellation for one year. Additionally, it stipulates that any juvenile involved in a traffic offense is ineligible for a driving or learner’s license until they reach the age of 25.
