manoj

21-year-old Alistair Pereira, allegedly inebriated, was accused of ramming his car into hutments on Carter Road causing many deaths. He is now accused of another grievance — that of forging documents to attain a fake driving licence. But he is not alone in this ‘scam’. A sizeable number of youth in Mumbai get behind the wheel well before they turn 18, by producing fake documents of proof of age and obtain a licence to drive. Or kill?

Statistically speaking:

According to the manager of a driving school in Mumbai, around 25 per cent of youngsters who come to obtain a licence are underage. “The demand for underage licenses is more for two-wheelers than four-wheelers,” states the manager. Another driving school employee, on condition of anonymity, states, “We check proof-of-age before enrolling students. But it’s not always easy to detect a fake document. However, there are some 14 and 15-year-olds who even try to bribe their way.”A spokesperson from the Transport Department admits it’s difficult to find out exactly how many licences are forged. “Proof-of-age is a must, but unless in-depth investigations are carried out, like in the case of Alistair, forged documents are not easily identified.”

Driving force:

Why do youngsters have the urge to get behind the wheel, even illegally? Is it the need for speed or something more? Counselling psychologist Brinda Jaising attributes it to the influence of violent videogames and action/racing movies. “Even a sixyear-old today is highly influenced by what he sees on the computer or TV. He wants to try out in real life what a movie star does on screen.” explains Brinda.

Who is to blame?

“It is the parents of the child who are primarily to blame here,” says Sunil Merchant, President, WIAA (Western India Auto Association). “There is a certain age for everything in life, and the age to obtain a licence is legally 18. That’s when an individual is mature enough to handle a tricky situation in a car. If the parents give their 15-year-old their car, how can we blame the child?” He goes on to make another point: “In India, enough importance is not given to the theoretical part of driving. Driving schools don’t stress on basic rules of the road and road signs. Often, tests too are a farce.”

What does the law say?

Joint Traffic Commissioner Satish Mathur says driving with a fake licence tantamounts to driving without a licence. “It’s a bailable offence under the Motor Vehicle Act, one can go free with a fine. If the youth is involved in a serious accident, his parents can also be legally charged,” says Mathur.


Source: http://epaper.timesofindia.com (Mumbai Edition)
Date Of Publish: 12-Dec-06

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streetwisw

Hello Manoj

The problems we have in India are almost out of control.

I have written an interesting book for the Indian road user. Dont be discouraged.