LAHORE: The Punjab police department has suggested amendments to the Provincial Motor Vehicle Ordinance, 1965, and Motor Vehicle Rules, 1969, for the introduction and operationalisation of a proposed Juvenile Driving Permit (JDP) for motorcyclists aged 16 to 18 years, a move that may render an estimated seven million teens eligible to drive.

Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar has forwarded two summaries through the Home Department to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz for final approval.

He also proposed amendments to the Provincial Motor Vehicle Ordinance, 1965, for the rationalisation of Section 89-B, which makes it mandatory for drivers of motor cars, cabs, and transport vehicles to wear a fastened seat belt, by omitting the requirement of ‘notified roads’.

The move was taken as a major development in the wake of recent crackdown on the underage drivers, including students, and arrested many of them under criminal offences.

Changes to law proposed to introduce juvenile driving permit, make seat belts mandatory for all roads

The CM had taken notice of some disturbing viral video clips when several hand-cuffed students in school uniform were presented in courts and the reports that the police tarnished the careers of a large number of them by preparing their crime profile.

Giving some justifications for these amendments, the IGP pointed out that the existing regulatory gap resulted in unlicenced juvenile riding and associated safety risks, necessitating a need to introduce a juvenile driving permit for motorcycle riders aged 16 to 18 years.

“The amendment establishes a structured, lawful, and monitored framework enabling juveniles to operate motorcycles under prescribed conditions, thereby promoting responsible mobility, enhancing road safety, strengthening enforcement, and supporting the vision of a safe, modern, and inclusive youth mobility system,” reads one of the summary documents.

Global practices

The respective summaries were drafted and sent to the Punjab police chief by Lahore Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Athar Waheed who referred to some models/practices adopted by many advanced countries to address the serious issue of ‘the youth mobility on the roads’.

Mr Athar was of the opinion that the introduction of a formal juvenile driving permit would provide a structured, lawful and enforceable pathway for regulated youth mobility.

“A comparative review of international licensing standards shows that many jurisdictions, including India, Malaysia, New Zealand, several EU states, and the US, allow supervised or restricted motorcycle or learner permits between 16 and 17 years of age,” states the CTO.

About the background perspective, the police department says that no person is permitted to ride a motorcycle in any public place unless he/she attained the age of 18 years under the existing legal framework, specifically section 4 of the motor vehicle ordinance.

The absence of a clear statutory mechanism for regulating juvenile motorcycle riders aged 16 to 18 years had resulted in persistent enforcement challenges and an incre­asing number of unlicenced young riders on the roads.

The introduction of juvenile driving permit for juvenile motorcycle riders aged 16 to 18 years would address this regulatory gap besides providing a structured, legally recognised, and enforceable framework for youth mobility within this age bracket, as per the documents. Another primary objective of the proposed amendment was to allow individuals aged 16 to 18 years to legally ply motorcycles under regulated and clearly defined conditions.

The department also argued that section 89-B currently restricts mandatory seat belt use to “notified roads”, creating ambiguity and limiting enforcement, despite the fact that road-safety risks are present on all public roads across the province.

“To address this critical safety concern and ensure uniform compliance, it is proposed that the phrase ‘on notified roads’ be removed, making seat belt use compulsory on all public roads and strengthening protection for every road user,” reads the summary.

Published in Dawn, December 11th, 2025