Sunday, February 23, 2014

Beware! You can be sent to jail for drunken driving

Continuous crackdown Delhi Traffic police has not deterred people from mixing drinking with driving on city roads. On the eve of New Year, a total of 532 motorists were prosecuted for drunken driving.

Traffic Police had deployed 70 teams, armed with breath analyzers to check drunken driving. Special pickets were also set-up to check stunts on motorcycles, over speed, reckless, zig-zag and dangerous driving in co-ordination with local police and PCR.

A total of 724 motorists were prosecuted for committing various violations which included 67 for dangerous driving and 532 motorists for drunken driving.

“A total of 238 car drivers, 265 two-wheeler riders and 12 auto rickshaws were prosecuted out of which 91 vehicles were impounded on the spot. Five cases under section 279 (reckless and negligent driving) of Indian Penal Code were registered against five motorists,” Special Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Taj Hasan said.

There is jump in prosecution of drunk driving this New Year eve as compared to previous years. While 489 motorists were prosecuted on 2013 New Year eve last year, 418 were fined in 2012 and 346 in 2011.

However, the traffic police managed to bring fatal death to one this New Year eve.  Five people were killed in 2013 on December 31 night, five in 2012 and seven in 2011.

Till December 15 in 2013, 24,564 drivers have been prosecuted for drunken driving out of which 3397 drivers have been awarded jail term for drunken driving and driving licenses of 631 motorists have been suspended. The 2012 saw prosecutions of 23,829 drunk drivers and in 2011 it was 18,073.

In 2012, 6,578 people have been sentenced to jail for driving drunk. During the year 2011, total 2,869 people had been imprisoned by the traffic courts.

The officer said that the continuous drive throughout the year has started showing positive results on city roads. “Drunken driving is one of the major reasons behind fatal accidents on city roads and we kept cracking down on the offenders. The impact is evident as number of fatal accidents has been lowest in past several years. We would continue our efforts for safer roads in the city,” said the officer.

As per the law, the maximum punishment is a stiff 6-month jail term plus a fine of Rs 2000 for the first time offence, and a two-year jail term plus a fine of Rs 3000 for the second offence.

An alcohol-meter count of more than 30 mg of alcohol constitutes drunken driving. A traffic police official said that usually, imprisonment can be awarded to anyone who has consumed 30mg alcohol or more but is usually awarded to those registering over 100mg.

Figures

Total Prosecution of Drunken Driving 

2011       2012       2013 (till December 15)
18,073   23,829   24,564

People jailed for drunken driving 

2011       2012       2013 (Till December 15)
2,869     6,578     3397

Total Prosecution of Drunken Driving on New Year Eve

2011       2012       2013      2014
346         418         489         532                        

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