The Supreme Court has voiced strong concerns regarding parental responsibility in cases of minors involved in drinking and driving incidents. During a recent hearing, a bench of Justices B.V. Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan addressed the issue while granting bail to three individuals accused in connection with the 2024 Pune Porsche accident case. The court emphasized that parents must bear responsibility when their children are involved in such offenses.
The case in question involved a 17-year-old who allegedly drove a Porsche under the influence of alcohol, resulting in the deaths of two IT professionals in Pune. The court's attention was drawn to the larger issue of parental control and the potential consequences of negligence in supervising children.
Justice Nagarathna stated that parents are largely to blame for such incidents because they don't have control over their children. She criticized the practice of parents providing children with car keys and ample funds without engaging in meaningful communication or monitoring their activities. She further added that parents have no time to talk to their children, have a dialogue with them and spend time with them, and the solution to that isn't money or ATM cards. The court observed that parents' lack of engagement and supervision contributes to the problem of underage substance abuse and reckless behavior.
The three individuals granted bail were Amar Santish Gaikwad, Aditya Avinash Sood, and Ashish Satish Mittal. Sood and Mittal are the parents of two other juveniles who were in the car. They are accused of conspiring to replace the blood samples of their children after the accident. Gaikwad is alleged to be the middleman who facilitated the payment to manipulate the blood samples.
The court's observations highlight a growing concern about underage drinking and driving, as well as the role of parents in preventing such incidents. While laws exist to penalize underage drinking and driving, the Supreme Court's remarks suggest that a shift in societal attitudes and parenting practices is also necessary.
In many states, parents may face civil liability for their child's actions, especially if the child is under 18. The "family car doctrine" and "negligent entrustment" are legal concepts that could hold parents financially responsible for damages caused by their child while driving under the influence.
It is illegal for a person under 21 to drive with any level of bodily alcohol content. South Carolina has created a cutoff of a bodily alcohol content of .02 to be in violation of this law.
The Supreme Court's comments serve as a reminder of the critical role parents play in shaping their children's behavior and ensuring their safety and the safety of others. By promoting open communication, setting clear boundaries, and actively monitoring their children's activities, parents can help prevent underage drinking and driving and its potentially devastating consequences.