Pune: 25 Minors Caught for Underage Driving, Parents Shell Out Heavy Fines
Pune traffic police have intensified their crackdown on underage driving, reviving a campaign that had lost momentum following the high-profile Porsche accident in Kalyaninagar in May 2024.
In the first two months of 2025 alone, 25 minors were apprehended, and their parents were heavily fined. This renewed action comes after a tragic incident where a minor, the teenage son of a prominent city builder, crashed his Porsche Taycan, killing two young IT professionals.
The accident, which occurred around 2 a.m. after the teenager visited pubs in Mundhwa, sparked public outrage and prompted authorities to launch a stringent drive against underage driving. However, enforcement efforts had waned over time.
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. In 2025 so far, 25 minors have been apprehended and a total of Rs. 1.25 lakh have been collected as fines from parents.
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. Recently, 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 on internal roads and bylanes rather than 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 in areas like Katraj, Kondhwa, Wanowrie, and Uttamnagar over the past year. The Regional Transport Office (RTO), Pune, has also launched initiatives 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.
