As part of a drive against drunken driving, the police have, in association with Transport Department officials, decided to suspend Driving Licences (DLs) of even first-time traffic offenders in Bangalore.
Hitherto, first-time offenders in such cases had their DLs impounded, with their vehicles and documents, which they had to reclaim after paying penalty in a court of law. With the number of drunken driving cases increasing in the wake of extension of deadline for closure of bars, the traffic police have invoked the provision for suspending DLs of first-time offenders under the State Motor Vehicles Act 1988 and also the Central Motor Vehicles Act of 1989.
“These rules are applicable with immediate effect and police officials have been instructed to follow the orders,” according to Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) B. Dayanand.
As per the new rules, traffic offenders would not only be asked to pay fine but also have their licences impounded. Their licences would be sent to the Transport Department with a recommendation that they (licences) be suspended for three to six months.
“It is left to the discretion of the Transport Department officials to fix the duration of the suspension, depending upon the type of violations,” Mr. Dayanand said and added that the licences of those who repeat the offence will be cancelled.
After the deadline for closure of bars was extended, the number of drunken driving cases has gone up from an average 800 to 1,500 a day during the weekends, he said.
The new rules, Mr. Dayanand said, are applicable not only to drunken driving cases but also to the use of mobile phones while driving, hit-and-run cases, autorickshaws and taxis refusing to go on hire and those demanding excess fare. Drivers of goods vehicles carrying passengers will also be booked under the new rules, he said.
Though the rules to suspend Driving Licences of first-time offenders are applicable to also those using mobile phones while driving, a Transport Department official said that there is no such provision to include the latter under this law.
However, Mr. Dayanand said that drivers using mobile phones were included under the law to ensure discipline among motorists and reduce the number of road accidents.
A police official said that the Transport Department should also make it mandatory for motorists to carry original DLs while driving.
