In this article, we take a look at some of the most astonishingly stupid ways in which Indian parents endanger the lives of their children. Whatever be the excuse for such actions, it's the innocent kids who might pay the price for their parents' ignorance so let's pledge to not do any of the listed foolish acts.
A family of five people with three kids on a motorcycle, one on the tank and two sandwiched between the parents is a disappointing and unfortunately common sight on Indian roads. It takes a fraction of common sense for anyone to understand that commuting in such a manner is an invitation to disaster but some people just can't understand it. Worse is that in many cases it's the innocent kids who end up paying the price for the foolishness and ignorance of their parents. When informed about the dangers of such actions, people come up with illogical reasons such as financial constraints, which isn't true but that's a topic for some other time. For now, I just want to talk about five ways in which parents knowingly put the lives of their children in danger. If anyone of you reading this piece is or has been doing any of the mentioned actions, please stop immediately. The greatest gift you've given to the world and to yourselves is life in the form of your child so please stop being ignorant.
1.Acrobatic families on two-wheelers: As mentioned above, it is a common sight to see three or four people riding on a scooter or motorcycle. In some cases, people of higher intelligence choose to ride even five people in one go, thereby reducing their lifespan significantly. Riding more than two people on a two-wheeler is dangerous for multiple reasons. First, going over the rated payload of a vehicle severely affects its dynamics and stability. Additional weight also means harder work for brakes and in some cases the extra weight can overwhelm the brakes completely, leading to a crash. Add to this the fact that almost no one wears a helmet in such a scenario and chances of fatalities or serious injuries goes up massively.
2.Itne se distance mein kuchh nahi hoga (Nothing will happen in short distance): Scooters are widely used across the country to drop and pick children from schools and it is common to see grandparents or mothers who are housewives doing this task. Be it Delhi, Jaipur, Chennai or Bengaluru finding the rider and kid with helmet is a rarity. While the main reason for not wearing a helmet is dull-wittedness, most people claim that the short distance between their home and school doesn't need helmet. In some cases, if a major crossing is en route, the rider would wear a cheap and useless helmet but the kid's safety is left to the Almighty. A round of applause for such amazing parents and the example of parenting they set everyday!