Punjab has announced a historic change, lowering the minimum age for motorcycle riding to 16. Teenagers can now obtain licences using their smart identity cards after Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed police not to arrest underage students for traffic violations.
The move comes as the CM expressed strong displeasure over reports of minors being handcuffed, following a Lahore High Court notice regarding underage traffic offenders. “We do not want to detain young children, but adherence to the law is essential,” she said.
Traffic Laws Remain Strict, Safety Emphasized
Maryam Nawaz stressed that traffic rules exist to ensure public safety. She urged parents to teach children about helmet use and instructed traffic police to deal with violations respectfully and with restraint.
Officials informed the chief minister that 2,445 vehicles had recently been penalised for traffic violations. A provincewide awareness week will now be launched to educate students and the general public about road safety. Notably, first-time helmet offenders will receive only a warning under the new guidelines.
For the first time in Punjab, drones and body cameras are being introduced to monitor traffic violations. Officials say these tools will improve enforcement transparency and accountability.
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Punjab Police have been active in cracking down on traffic offenders. In just 24 hours, they issued at least 63,970 challans worth over Rs80 million. Of these, around 28,000 were for helmet violations, while 4,312 were booked for other traffic rule breaches. Authorities also confiscated 23,904 vehicles during the crackdown.
The CM’s decision to allow 16-year-olds to ride motorcycles while emphasizing education and safety marks a significant policy shift, balancing law enforcement with the protection of minors’ rights.