Herat Bans Underage Driving Amid Rise in Traffic Accidents

Amid a rise in traffic accidents in Herat, authorities have banned people under the age of 18 from driving.

Officials say many traffic accidents are caused by drivers under the age of 18.

Hasibullah Musafir, Head of Accident Investigation at the Herat Traffic Department, said: “Underage drivers are responsible for many traffic accidents. From now on, people under 18 will not be allowed to drive. If anyone under 18 is found driving, their vehicle will be stopped by traffic police and taken to the Traffic Department.”

Abdul Ahad Khairkhah, Head of Urban Governance at Herat Municipality, said: “We are working to reduce traffic congestion and enforce traffic laws. Only those who meet the requirements will be allowed to drive, meaning anyone driving in the city must have a driving license.”

According to figures from the Herat Public Health Department, 161 people have been killed and nearly 8,500 others injured in traffic accidents in the province over the past five months.

Herat resident Mujib Sultani said: “Many traffic accidents are caused by underage drivers because they do not follow traffic laws. If the laws are enforced, traffic accidents will decrease significantly across the country.”

Dr. Habibullah Behzad said: “I worked for some time in the emergency department of the regional hospital. Between 70 and 80 percent of those responsible for traffic accidents were motorcyclists, and most of them were boys between the ages of 10 and 18.”

Underage driving, lack of knowledge of traffic rules, disorder, poor road conditions and negligence by some drivers are considered among the major causes of fatal traffic accidents in the country.

Social affairs expert Agha Mohammad Rasouli said: “We even see children aged 10, 12 and 15 driving in Herat city. Preventing people under 18 from driving is a very good and positive step. They should be prevented from driving and even penalized so they do not drive again. Herat is a large city, and the movement of cars, motorcycles and rickshaws has contributed to disorder and traffic problems in the city.”

The Herat Public Health Department says 320 people were killed and more than 16,500 others injured in traffic accidents in the province last year.

Officials from the department say a large proportion of traffic accident victims are teenagers under the age of 18.