Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Transport Authority (STA) initiated a two-day special campaign on Monday to curb underage driving, a response to the increasing number of road accidents and fatalities.
In 2023, road accidents in Odisha resulted in 557 fatalities, with 224 victims being under the age of 18.
The STA had previously directed all Regional Transport Officers to implement consistent and stringent measures under Section 199(A) of the Motor Vehicles Act, given the grave nature of road accidents and fatalities in the state, which are becoming as alarming as the drug threat.
The RTOs are now mandated to carry out a special operation targeting juvenile offences over the next two days. The STA has explicitly instructed officials to execute the enforcement operation with full force, adhering strictly to Section 199(A) of the MV Act upon detection of a juvenile offence.
According to the guidelines, vehicles operated by minors should be impounded whenever possible. Additionally, an FIR should be lodged against the guardian or owner at the local police station where the juvenile offence occurs, as stated in the STA’s directive.
The STA has further called on senior officials to engage in efforts to educate and make juveniles aware of the dire consequences of road accidents.
