CHENNAI: Motorists passing through the Ega theatre junction on E.V.R Periyar salai were in for a surprise on Saturday here when they found a schoolboy, regulating the traffic flow, waving his hands in various directions to signal motorists while wearing the orange coloured florescent vest.
The teenager from Pulianthope is studying in Class 10 in a government school.
On January 22, he had borrowed a bike from his friend but met with an accident on the same day. Losing balance, the boy had hit a woman passerby who filed a case in Pulianthope police station in connection with the incident.
The boy was released on his ‘own bond’ and a case in this regard was also registered in juvenile court then.
“When the hearing regarding the accident came up on Friday, the boy appeared and sought pardon and promised the juvenile court that he had realised his mistake and he would not involve in such practices in the future,” said an official.
The juvenile court gave a novel punishment in a bid to reform the boy. He was directed to regulate the traffic near a traffic junction along with traffic police personnel on Saturday and Sunday.
“Accordingly, the boy was asked to be present in the Ega theatre junction from 8 am to 12 pm and 4 pm to 8 pm to learn traffic rules,” said a traffic policeman.
“The boy got tired soon in the beginning. However, he mustered courage and became busy learning all the traffic rules. Moreover, he narrated his past
incident to the motorists and advised them not to violate the traffic norms. He also advised motorists to wear helmets,” the cop said.
A senior police official said school students should not ride bikes, as they would not yet be aware of traffic rules.
“Persons who have attained 18 years should take a licence for riding bikes. School students should be aware the fact that riding bikes and other vehicles without a licence would be detrimental to both public and them,” the official noted.
The police were continuously holding traffic awareness programme in public places as well as in schools, he pointed out.
