?I?ve said and repeated it so many times. Unfortunately parents do not take their responsibilities.? Chief Inspector (CI) Ben Buntipilly can?t count how many times he has asked parents to be more responsible and stop placing children between them on their motorcycle. But obviously the message has not been fully understood, as shown by the recent accident in Pomponnette on Monday. Narainduth and Coontee Allan took their granddaughter, Ayushi, aged 13 months, on their motorbike. Even though the little girl appears to have been luckier than her late grandparents - she?s however still in hospital - it could have been fatal for her as well.

According to CI Buntipilly, such behaviour is not due to lack of information and awareness campaigns by the authorities. As the person in charge of the Road Safety Unit, he asserts that he seizes each single opportunity to pass on the message to parents and try to make them aware of their risky behaviour. ?Each time I go on television, speak on radio or in the press or even in workshops and conferences, I keep bringing such behaviour to parents? attention but they keep their bad habits.?

Lies to try and avoid fines

But, instead of keeping on trying to raise awareness, wouldn?t it be a better solution to fine them for their offences? CI Buntipilly gives the guarantee that the police do their job and verbalise offenders. The amount of a fine for such risky behaviour starts at Rs 500. ?It depends on the history of the person arrested. If the magistrate finds that the offender has been too regular, it can go up to Rs 5,000,? reveals Ben Buntipilly.

He himself has fined such parents on several occasions. ?Once, I saw parents carrying their three-month old baby on their motorbike on the motorway at about 9 pm. When I stopped them and explained how dangerous their behaviour was for their child, they told me the child was not well and they had to take him urgently to hospital. So, I took the mother and the child with me in the car to the hospital. But, sometimes, parents just lie when faced with the authorities to try and avoid the fine.?

The Chief Inspector, however, does not seem to believe in repression. ?I do not always fine them; I prefer to make them aware of dangers.? A fall from a motorbike is most of the time very serious or even fatal. So, when these parents take their child ? who does not even wear a helmet in most cases ? they really put their kid?s life at risk. ?I?ve even witnessed parents taking two children on their motorbike,? CI Buntipilly says. ?The authorities are there to ensure a safety framework but we can?t stand in for the parents.?

As for parents putting their child in front of them on their motorbike, the law does not prevent them from doing so ?as long as the vehicle provides for a seat,? CI Buntipilly points out. If there is a proper seat, then it does not constitute an offence. But the chief inspector makes it clear that it?s ?safer to put the child behind the driver?.

Parents should not forget that accidents implying motorbikes are generally more serious than others. Last year, 27% of accidents were caused by motorbikes against 34% by cars.