Special drive against underage driving in Bengaluru

Following two major fatal accidents involving minors driving the vehicle, the city police have intensified action against underage driving, terming it a serious violation that continues to claim young lives despite repeated awareness campaigns.

Officials said that although several programmes have been conducted to educate the public about the dangers of allowing minors to operate vehicles, many parents continue to neglect supervision. This negligence has indirectly contributed to fatal accidents involving juveniles.

Police cited a recent accident near Hoskote on the outskirts of Bengaluru, where minors reportedly riding a vehicle were killed, as a grim reminder of the risks associated with underage driving.

The Bengaluru Traffic Police have been taking stringent measures against violations under the Motor Vehicles Act (IMV Act). Data shared by the traffic division shows a steady rise in cases booked against minors for driving up from 94 in 2023 to 414 in 2025.

City Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said that strict legal action will be initiated against the minors and their parents for driving or riding and allowing their wards to use vehicles. The vehicle owners will be booked under the special drive.

Meanwhile, the Bengaluru Traffic Police have launched a special drive against bike stunts and wheelying incidents, said Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Karthik Reddy. The jurisdictional officials have been asked to intensify checks and tabs on such incidents, both online and offline. The police have identified around 54 such spots based on previous incidents, and kept a special watch on these stretches to track down offenders.