Underage drivers to face FIR under new law

Parents voice concern over rising transport costs, thousands fined in two-day crackdown

GUJRANWALA:

Traffic laws in Punjab have become significantly stricter following the enforcement of a new Motor Vehicle Ordinance, which took effect in Gujranwala on Tuesday.

Under the revised regulations, boys and girls under the age of 18 are now completely barred from driving motorcycles or cars.

Violators will face not only criminal cases but also a penalty that is 500 times higher than before, officials said.

The development has sparked concerns among parents, as the ban is expected to particularly affect school and college students.

Gujranwala has nearly 1,200 public and private educational institutions, attended by hundreds of thousands of students, many of whom commute daily on motorcycles.

A large number of students also provide pick-and-drop to younger siblings, a routine that will now be disrupted because of the new restrictions.

According to the ordinance's Section B-99, any individual under 18 found driving will face a registered FIR, while fines have increased from Rs200 to Rs2,000.

In addition, the violator may face up to six months in prison and a Rs10,000 fine.

Parents reacting to the measure questioned how they could afford the increased transportation burden.

They argued that hiring rickshaws now costs between Rs20,000 to Rs30,000 per month, bicycles cost no less than Rs15,000 and parents who personally manage school pick-and-drop may struggle to balance work and household responsibilities.

Many also expressed concern about the future of girls who were recently given electric scooters under a government initiative.

Meanwhile, Gujranwala City Traffic Police Aysha Butt has launched an aggressive crackdown under the new ordinance.

Over a two-day operation on November 27 and 28, traffic wardens issued 3,750 challans for multiple violations.

These included 514 fines for not wearing helmets, 93 for one-way violations, 344 for smoke-emitting vehicles, 169 for underage driving, 692 for driving without a licence, 266 for wrong parking, 152 for overloading with modified vehicle bodies and 452 for using non-standard number plates.

Police also registered 45 criminal cases during this period.

These included 12 cases for one-way violations, nine for overloading on modified vehicles, six for driving cars or motorcycles without licences, four for wrong parking, two for carrying passengers on rooftops of public transport vehicles, two for excessive smoke emission, and four cases involving underage drivers despite a prior warning.

The crackdown continued until 11pm, with the CTO confirming that strict enforcement will proceed without exception. She said under the Provincial Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, FIRs will be registered against minors caught driving.

Traffic police education teams are also visiting various schools and colleges to raise awareness about the law.

The CTO urged parents not to hand over motorcycles or cars to underage children, warning that accidents may lead to both severe losses and long-term criminal records.

She also added that citizens must follow traffic rules to demonstrate responsible behaviour, noting that there will be no leniency for students under the new policy.