Protection of Minors & Family Standards

Child Safety Standards

At PathikGo, the safety, well-being, and protection of children and young passengers is of paramount importance. This document sets out our operational protocols, age policies, and strict compliance with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012, Motor Vehicles Aggregator Guidelines 2020, and international child protection standards.

1. Account Age Requirement (18+)

Creating an independent PathikGo rider or driver account is restricted to individuals who are at least 18 years of age (the legal age of majority in India). We do not knowingly collect personal information from or allow unsupervised account creation by children under 18.

2. Unaccompanied Minors Policy

• Mandatory Adult Companion: Children and minors under 18 years of age are not permitted to take a ride alone. A parent, legal guardian, or authorized adult (18+) must accompany them throughout the trip.
• Driver Partner Guidance: Driver partners are advised not to transport an unaccompanied child. If a driver arrives at a pickup location and finds an unsupervised minor attempting to board alone, they are instructed to decline the ride safely without cancellation penalty.
• Family Travel: Parents and guardians traveling with infants and toddlers are responsible for supervising them and ensuring age-appropriate child restraints or booster seats are used where available.

3. Vehicle Safety & Child Locks

• Four-Wheeler Cabs: Commercial cabs operating on the PathikGo platform must have functional rear seatbelts. For child passengers, drivers must adhere to passenger safety norms and operate vehicle child locks responsibly under parent supervision.
• Two-Wheeler Bike Taxis: In accordance with traffic safety regulations, children under 4 years of age or infants must not be transported on commercial two-wheelers. Child pillion riders must wear a certified ISI helmet and be securely seated behind an accompanying adult.

4. Zero Tolerance for Child Exploitation & CSAM

PathikGo maintains an absolute zero-tolerance policy against any form of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), child grooming, child trafficking, exploitation, or endangerment.

• Any user, rider, or driver partner engaging in, facilitating, or attempting behavior that compromises child welfare will face immediate permanent account termination and device blacklisting.
• All suspicious incidents involving child welfare are immediately reported to the National Cyber Crime Portal (cybercrime.gov.in), local police authorities (dial 112), and Childline India (1098).

5. Driver Background Checks & Sensitization

• Every driver partner operating on PathikGo undergoes mandatory background verification, valid commercial driving license verification, vehicle registration inspection, and identity checks.
• Driver partners are trained on respectful, safe, and professional conduct around families and children.

6. 24x7 Safety Telemetry & Emergency SOS

Every ride booked through PathikGo includes live GPS telemetry, real-time route deviation alerts, emergency contact trip sharing, and a direct 1-tap Emergency SOS (112) button in the passenger app.

7. Reporting Child Safety Concerns

If you witness, suspect, or experience any safety incident involving a minor on the PathikGo platform, contact our dedicated safety desk immediately:

• Official Support Email: pathikgo.official@gmail.com
• Emergency SOS: Use the in-app SOS button or dial 112 (Police) / 1098 (Childline India)
• Grievance Officer: PathikGo Mobility Platform, Legal & Safety Division