he Hyderabad Traffic Police are no longer going to imprison or challan or give community service as punishment if your Blood Alcohol Concentration is above the current norm of 30 mg, but below 35 mg per 100 ml.
The decision to go easy on light and social-drinkers was taken recently at an internal meeting of the traffic officials after a string of cases were noticed where the violators’ reading bordered around 30, but they had to be dragged to court due to the rule in place.
“We had taken this decision since there is a chance of calibration error in the instrument,” said a top official of the traffic police.
“If the alcohol level is 31 or 32, we can give the benefit of doubt to the drivers. We have also received complaints from some convicted drivers regarding their alcohol reading which showed a little more than 30 for taking just a few sips of a drink. This is our latest people’s friendly initiative since we thought it is unfair to put someone who is well in control of their senses through the whole punishment process.”
However, the new rule will not be on paper, but practiced in spirit, since according to the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, the permissible BAC level is 30 mg.
Any attempt to modify the Act by State authorities will be cumbersome and uncertain not just because it is a Central government subject but also because of a pending bill.
The Road Safety and Transport Bill 2014, which is yet to be passed in Parliament, seeks to further lower the BAC level to 20 mg from 30 mg.
“The traffic police in some of the metro cities are booking drunk drivers if their BAC levels are 40 mg and above. When compared to them, our latest limit of 35 mg is still strict. We observed that most of the drivers who create nuisance or drive in a risky manner have a reading of 70 mg and above,” said a city traffic Inspector, who informed that their latest order is being implemented on city roads since the last weekend.
A city-based medical professional felt it was an inappropriate step by the traffic police.
“The reflexes of an individual depend on various factors like basic health, addictions or even stress levels. A person who has poor vision and has been tested for an alcohol content of 30 mg can be a dangerous driver. To test for the fitness of person based on one parameter is flawed, and to top it if the officials increase the permissible limits, it can only make things worse,” said Sujith Vidiyala, senior consultant Neurosurgeon, KIMS Hospital.
A person who has poor vision and has been tested for an alcohol content of 30 mg can be a dangerous driver, says medical practitioner
