Hyderabad: Parents want 100 cc driving licences for 16-year-olds

Hyderabad: Parents want driving licences to be issued to 16-year-olds so that they can drive two-wheelers of up to 100 cc engine capacity having automatic gears. At present, DLs are issued to 16-year-olds for driving two-wheelers of up to 50 cc engine capacity.

18 years is the minimum age to obtain a driving licence for driving vehicles having an engine capacity above 50 cc. A large number of representations have been made to the transport department by parents that teens aged between 16 and 18 should be given licence to drive vehicles of up to 100 cc.

Joint transport commissioner T. Raghunath said there is a proposal pending with the Centre to amend the MV Act to allow 16-year-olds to drive vehicles of up to 100 cc capacity.

“Gearless 100 cc scooters can be driven easily by men, women and teens. It is high time the government gave permission to issue DLs to 16-year-olds so that they can drive 100 cc scooters without gears,” said Rajini Reddy, a resident of Railway Colony.

Parents who came to attend the counselling along with minors booked for driving said gearless vehicles are easy to drive. “If needed, the government can ask manufacturers to reduce the maximum speed of 100 cc gearless vehicles and issue DLs to under 16s,” said Amrut Rao, who had come to attend the counselling.

Addl. CP (Traffic) Jitender asked parents not to give vehicles to their children who do not have DLs or are below 18. “The police is going to be strict and will book cases against minors as well as parents,” he said.