It was meant to be a Sunday well spent for three teenagers in Vizhinjam,Thiruvananthapuram. They had lunch together and were on their way back to home, when a car rammed into their two-wheeler. Two of them, Jason (17) from Kottappuram and Shanu (16) from Puthiyathura, died and their friend Stefanie, has been admitted to the Thiruvananthapuram Government Medical College Hospital with serious injuries. The day ended in tragedy for two families and a life-long trauma for the survivor. Beyond the heart-breaking loss, the police probing the accident have found out a series of grave violations. 

Jason, an unlicensed minor, was riding a two-wheeler borrowed from a nearby workshop with his friends as pillion when they met with an accident involving a car driven by a lawyer, who had his son on board. Police said the lawyer was drunk, and officers who inspected the site stated that rash driving and overtaking on a curve by the car were the main causes of the accident.

The latest accident in Thiruvananthapuram has again raised concerns over accidents involving minor drivers. The officials emphasised the need for stricter traffic discipline and parental responsibility. “Parents must not take pride in underage children driving. Instead, they must restrict such behaviour to prevent tragedies,” said Vizhinjam Station house officer Prakash R.

The cops are also investigating the workshop and the vehicle owner, who may face action. Insurance claims and other liabilities will be recovered from the owner, and assets may be attached if they fail to cover the costs.

The police officer said the lawyer, who was travelling with his 15-year-old son at the time, has been booked under non-bailable offences, including culpable homicide. “The child was in shock after the accident, while the accused was seen smoking a cigarette at the spot. Being fully aware of the law, he has been charged with non-bailable offences, including culpable homicide,” the officer said.

Kerala recorded 645 accidents caused by minors between 2023 and 2024, as per the figures furnished by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. 

The Ministry has collected a total of over ₹48 lakh between 2023 and 2024 by issuing challans to under-age drivers for violation of traffic rules. Kerala had witnessed many accidents, including fatal ones, caused by minors in 2024. In December 2024, a two-wheeler driven by a 15-year-old boy knocked down a 63-year-old woman while she was crossing the road in Kollam. She died a day later. Kollam East police initiated a probe and found out that the two-wheeler was owned by the boy's grandfather.

Two months ago, a car driven by a minor fell into the canal in Kannur. Kenichira police had nabbed five teenagers who travelled from Kozhikode to Wayanad in a car without valid license in July 2024. The cops slapped a fine of ₹25,000. The mother of the underage driver, the owner of the car and the agent who arranged the car were booked.

In 2024, the Kerala High Court observed that the instances of minors taking the wheel without a license have been on the increase, leading to numerous accidents. "With a near immunity against prosecution of a minor, the tendency to indulge in such acts unabashedly has seen a rise, with the owners of motor vehicles not taking due precautions to prevent such acts," the court noted. The HC also issued a set of guidelines for action.

It said that proceedings against the guardian of a juvenile or owner of a motor vehicle under the relevant section of the Motor Vehicles Act can be initiated if information regarding the juvenile's commission of an offence has been recorded in the General Diary. It further said that the recording of information has to be followed by the submission of a social background report of the child. 

An official with the Motor Vehicles Department said that while there are stringent provisions to stop underage driving, unless the parents become more responsible, the practice can’t be checked completely.