Despite awareness campaign, drunken driving cases go up

On this New Year’s eve, a total number of 608 motorists were prosecuted for drunken driving

January 02, 2015 08:06 am | Updated 09:29 am IST - NEW DELHI:

More four-wheeler and two-wheeler drivers were prosecuted during the said drive this New Year's Eve as compared to last year with the former accounting for 30 per cent and the latter for over 40 per cent of the total prosecutions. File Photo

More four-wheeler and two-wheeler drivers were prosecuted during the said drive this New Year's Eve as compared to last year with the former accounting for 30 per cent and the latter for over 40 per cent of the total prosecutions. File Photo

Despite all the efforts taken by enforcement agencies by way of awareness campaigns and warnings during the run up to New Year celebrations, the number of people booked for drunk driving this New Year eve was substantially high when compared to previous year.

Increased deployment and on-the-spot action against errant drivers, the traffic police said, propelled the number of fines by over 36 percent and the number of vehicles impounded for violations up by close to a staggering 300 per cent in absolute terms.

The traffic police also credited the said drive for bringing down the number of fatal deaths to have occurred on Delhi streets on December 31 from three last year to 'just' one this year and what a senior official described as 'virtually no stunt biking being noticed' as the Delhi Police had apprehended.

More four-wheeler and two-wheeler drivers were prosecuted during the said drive this New Year's Eve as compared to last year with the former accounting for 30 per cent and the latter for over 40 per cent of the total prosecutions.

“The maximum number of prosecutions took place in the southern part of the Capital with around 300 fines issued to violators followed by east Delhi where 200 violators were fined. In central Delhi, where most deployment was in place, around 97 fines were issued,” a source from the traffic unit said.

The traffic police said it had deployed 86 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 coordination with the local police and the PCR at Mehrauli, Saket, Vasant Vihar, South-Extension, Rajouri Garden, Pitampura, Laxmi Nagar and Mayur Vihar.

During the enforcement drive, the traffic unit claimed, a total number of 986 motorists were prosecuted for committing various violations which included 54 for dangerous driving and 608 motorists for drunken driving. A total of 305 car drivers, 402 two wheeler riders and 21 auto rickshaws were prosecuted out of which 356 vehicles were impounded on the spot.

The traffic police said, on this New Year’s eve, a total number of 608 motorists were prosecuted for drunken driving. While 532 motorists were prosecuted for the same offence in 2013, 489 in 2012, 418 in 2011 , 346 were booked in 2010.

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