Underage Driving in Pune: 25 Minors Caught, Parents Face Hefty Fines
Driver
Pune, 17th March 2025: Nearly a year after the high-profile Porsche accident in Kalyaninagar, the Pune traffic police have intensified their crackdown on underage motorists, reviving a campaign that had lost momentum over the months.
In the first two months of 2025, police apprehended 25 underage drivers and imposed fines totaling ₹1.25 lakh. In 2024, a total of 73 cases were recorded, with ₹3.50 lakh collected in penalties from parents who allowed their minor children to drive.
The renewed action comes in the wake of a tragic accident in May 2024, where a minor, the teenage son of a prominent city builder, was involved in a fatal crash while driving a Porsche Taycan. The accident, which occurred around 2 a.m. after the teenager had visited pubs in Mundhwa, claimed the lives of two young IT professionals. Following public outrage, the authorities launched a stringent drive against underage driving, but enforcement efforts gradually declined over time.
Speaking on the matter, Additional Commissioner of Police Manoj Patil stated, “The drive initiated last year had lost momentum, leading to fewer cases being registered. However, we have now decided to strictly implement e-filing of cases against parents of minor drivers, ensuring legal action is taken directly through the court.”
The police plan to ramp up enforcement at the start of the next academic year, targeting minor drivers and holding their parents accountable. On Friday, a case was registered in Ambegaon against a bike owner who allowed a 16-year-old to ride his motorcycle under the influence of alcohol.
Authorities have observed that minors tend to drive or ride primarily in internal roads and bylanes rather than on major roads. Patil emphasized, “Many parents permit their minor children to drive vehicles while heading to school or college, despite their lack of a valid driving license. Our teams will closely monitor routes leading to educational institutions, and traffic patrolling teams will keep a strict watch for underage drivers.”
Apart from the Porsche case, several accidents involving minors have been reported across city areas like Katraj, Kondhwa, Wanowrie, and Uttamnagar in the past year. The Regional Transport Office (RTO), Pune, had also launched an initiative to curb underage driving, reminding the public that parents or vehicle owners of minors caught driving can face penalties of up to ₹25,000 or imprisonment for up to three years.
