We’ve all seen it live on Indian roads. A young boy or a girl standing up through their car’s sunroof, arms wide open, faces basking in the wind and even recording a video for the ‘gram’.

Teenagers may believe it is hip and trendy.

Kerala Congress doesn’t think so.

In a rare deviation from political dissemination, exchanges and criticisms, the Congress unit in Kerala played a guardian to Indian parents. In a letter addressed to ‘dear parents’ in X, Kerala Congress warned about the dangers of standing through sunroofs, claiming that they are intended for ventilation and views, not for amusement or entertainment.

The message was clear and straightforward: parents must become aware of the risks associated with allowing their children to stand through sunroofs.

An abrupt brake could send a child flying out of the car, the post stated.

“It might sound harsh, but in such situations, there’s a chance you could run over your own children if you suddenly brake. We’ve seen many accidents and videos of people standing through the sunroof, even on dangerous ghat roads.” Kerala Congress said in X.

X/@INCKerala

Well, it’s a risk. And it’s not just children. In August 2024, Jitesh, a 24-year-old business school student in Hyderabad who drove his brand new BMW into a divider while embracing the full sunroof experience.

He survived, but with severe injuries to his nose and face. A fun ride turned into a hospital visit, and while he may heal, many others are not so lucky.

With luxury features like sunroofs now available in more affordable models, it’s not surprising that they’re being misused.

In 2022, Times of India reported that 37% of cars sold in India had a price above ₹10 lakh—a clear sign sunroofs are no longer reserved for the rich given a car in that range usually has the feature.

File photo

Sunroof cars have become a “cool factor” for the aspirational middle-class families, and as with most things, the appeal of standing through one is liberating, thrilling, but full of risks.

The Kerala Congress also requested automobile manufacturers Maruti Corporation, Tata Motors, Mahindra, Toyota and Hyundai India among other manufacturers to give proper training and video manual to its customers for safe usage of sunroofs and the risks associated with it.

The post also tagged Union minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, asking him to consider “introducing regulations, including penalties, and even denying insurance claims in such accidents, to ensure safety on our roads.”

As reported by the TOI, Section 177 of the Motor Vehicles Act doesn’t prohibit standing through a sunroof, but it has fines for offenders.

Last year, in Kerala, the traffic department registered six cases against car owners in just one week for letting passengers stick their heads out of sunroofs, according to a report in the Times of India.

X/@INCKerala

The penalties? A mere ₹100 for the first offense, increasing to ₹300 for repeat offenders. A doubtful deterrent for those who can afford a luxury car with a sunroof.

While Congress Kerala’s letter on X might have won some praise for its awareness campaign, it wasn’t long before the internet was quick to point out the hypocrisy. A viral image showed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi standing through a sunroof during an election rally.

Last year, former Lok Sabha MP and ex-West Bengal Congress chief, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury was spotted riding a motorcycle without a helmet in West Bengal’s Murshidabad, hands stretched wide as he rode through the streets.

“If the police penalizes me, I have no problem,” Chowdhury said. “I drove the bike after a long time, and I have memories with that place.”