Rising Concern of Road Accidents Caused by Minors

Increasing involvement of minors in accidents

Rising Concern of Road Accidents Caused by Minors: India continues to face a serious challenge of road accidents involving minors. According to the Integrated Road Accident Database (iRAD) covering 36 States and Union Territories, Tamil Nadu topped the list with 2,063 cases out of a total of 11,890 nationwide for 2023 and 2024.

However, Tamil Nadu Police verification revealed only 473 accidents in the state caused by minors during this period, indicating discrepancies in reported data.

Static GK fact: The iRAD system was developed by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways in collaboration with IIT Madras.

State-wise comparison

The iRAD report also highlighted Madhya Pradesh with 1,138 cases and Maharashtra with 1,067 cases. This reflects the widespread nature of the issue beyond one state.

In Tamil Nadu, 204 cases were recorded in 2023 and 269 cases in 2024. The state authorities emphasize that data uploaded through the State Crime Record Bureau (SCRB) under the CCTNS system ensures better accuracy.

Static GK Tip: The Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems (CCTNS) project was launched in 2009 under the National e-Governance Plan.

Enforcement against juvenile driving

Tamil Nadu issued 41 challans in 2023 and 80 challans in 2024 to guardians and parents of juvenile offenders. On the other hand, Bihar recorded the highest number of challans at 1,316, generating ₹44.27 lakh in revenue. This highlights Bihar’s stricter enforcement approach.

Static GK fact: As per the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, guardians of minors involved in traffic violations can face fines up to ₹25,000 and imprisonment.

Trends in Tamil Nadu road safety

Tamil Nadu also reported a 17 per cent decline in fatal road accidents in early 2025. Between January and February 2025, the state recorded 2,576 fatal accidents and 2,678 deaths, compared to 3,110 accidents and 3,253 deaths during the same period in 2024.

Officials credit this reduction to increased awareness, stricter enforcement, and real-time monitoring through iRAD. However, the challenge of underage driving continues to threaten progress in road safety.

Static GK Tip: National Road Safety Policy was approved in 2010 to strengthen awareness and enforcement against unsafe driving practices.

Need for better verification and awareness

Experts argue that while technology-backed systems like iRAD have improved reporting, data quality and state-level verification remain concerns. At the same time, stricter parental responsibility and awareness campaigns are essential to prevent minors from taking control of vehicles.

Static Usthadian Current Affairs Table

Rising Concern of Road Accidents Caused by Minors: