According to a Tamil parenting proverb, if a child is not disciplined at five, it will not happen at 50. And it looks like there is no attempt to instill discipline in some students in Coimbatore’s private schools, who are violating road rules by riding two wheelers.

The Motors Vehicle Act, 1988, states that, “No person under the age of 18 years shall drive a motor vehicle in any public place…. a motor cycle with engine capacity not exceeding 50cc, which may be driven in a public place by a person after attaining the age of 16 years.” But these underage drivers can be spotted speeding through in the morning and evening rush hours, in their school uniforms.

While some schools do not allow students to bring their two-wheelers inside the campus, teachers say that students break the law with the support of parents.

“This happens mostly with students who have to sit the board exams. They go to tuition in the early morning before school and then again after school, and so parents see this as an excuse to violate the law,” said Llewellyn Xavier, principal of Stanes Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School.

The City Police on their part conduct awareness drives in schools on road rules, and the punishments and outcomes of breaking rules. “We regularly conduct inspections and awareness drives in 15 schools and colleges a week. We also impose fines on persons who violate road rules, with about 750 such cases a week,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) S Saravanan.

N Veeraperumal, Secretary of the Tamil Nadu Parents Teachers Association, too agreed that parents should never encourage their children to violate road rules. “It is because of their complacency that accidents occur. We would soon pass a resolution in the next meeting against school students using two wheelers without license,” he told the Covai Post.