Lahore, December 2, 2025: The Punjab government has decided to lower the minimum legal age for motorcycle riding to 16 years, allowing teenagers to obtain licences using smart identity cards. The move follows Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s directive barring police from arresting underage students for traffic violations.
“We do not want to detain young children, but adherence to the law is essential,” the chief minister said in a statement, expressing displeasure over recent incidents in which minors were reportedly handcuffed after the Lahore High Court sought a report on underage driving.
Maryam stressed that traffic regulations exist to protect the public, urging parents to educate their children on road safety — especially the importance of wearing helmets. She also instructed traffic police to exercise restraint and treat citizens with dignity while enforcing the law.
Officials informed the chief minister that 2,445 vehicles had been penalised for various traffic violations in recent days. They also announced a provincewide awareness week aimed at educating students and the general public on road safety.
Under the new policy, a first-time helmet violation will result in a warning only, rather than a fine or punitive action.
The meeting was told that, for the first time, Punjab is deploying drones and body-worn cameras to monitor traffic violations, improve transparency, and strengthen enforcement across the province.
The changes are part of a broader set of traffic management reforms as authorities face increasing scrutiny over how young riders are treated on Punjab’s roads.
