40% rise in issuance of non-geared driving licences in 3 years: Ahmedabad RTO

Ahmedabad: The Regional Transport Office (RTO), District Education Office (DEO) and traffic police of Ahmedabad in a joint drive caught 16 minors for operating non-geared two-wheelers and motorcycles without valid driving licenses. Their guardians were also penalized.

This initiative aimed to target students who were bringing vehicles to school without the necessary documentation. Over the past three years, there has been a 40% increase in the issuance of licenses for non-geared two-wheelers to individuals aged 16 to 18 years.

Despite a school ban, many students, particularly those aged 16 to 18, continue to ride scooters and motorcycles to school. Subhash Bridge RTO officer Patel mentioned, “Each month, we issue approximately 500 non-geared driving licenses to teenagers in this age group. In 2022, we were issuing around 350 per month, which increased to about 400 in 2023 and has now reached 500 per month—a rise of about 40%.”

The learning license for this category is valid for six months, after which individuals can apply for a full non-geared two-wheeler license. However, many students still choose to drive to school without the proper licenses despite these regulations.

Patel noted, “Although there has been a significant increase in the issuance of licenses, many parents mistakenly believe that children aged 16 to 18 do not require licenses.”

Patel emphasized the need for more such operations in the future to uphold traffic regulations and ensure the safety of young drivers. DeshGujarat