On any given day, over 1,000 cases of traffic offences — such as drunken driving, speeding and unauthorised parking — are booked by the Chennai city traffic police.
There is little clarity among motorists on road rules and the penalties pertaining to offences, specified primarily under The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (the Act, hereafter).
Below are some of the common traffic offences and the penalties in case of a violation:
Driving under the influence of alcohol> Punishable under Section 185 of the Act
> Motorist is subjected to a breathalyser test and held culpable if alcohol exceeds 30 per cent on the meter
> Vehicle is seized but offender has to pay a fine of Rs. 2,500 only after appearing before a magistrate
> Impounded vehicle can be repossessed after the fine amount is paid. There is strictly no spot fine for this offence
> Only a police officer of sub-inspector rank or above can book violators
> In case of drunken driving resulting in death of another person, the motorist is booked under Section 304 Class II of the Indian Penal Code, and sent to prison
Speeding on city roads> In Chennai city, the speed limit is 40 km
> Those caught exceeding the limit can be slapped with a fine of Rs. 400
> Fine for subsequent violation is Rs. 1,000. Repeat violations can result in annulment of driving license under Section 183 of the Act
Parking violation> Arterial roads, even without a ‘no parking’ sign, are strictly no-parking zones
> Two-wheeler parking violation holds a penalty of Rs. 260 (including fine of Rs. 100, vehicle towing charge of Rs. 150, and fee for helper deployed by the traffic police: Rs. 10)
> Four-wheeler drivers are slapped with penalty of Rs. 475 (including fine of Rs. 350, vehicle towing charge of Rs.100 and fee for helper: Rs. 25). Parking violations fall under Section 117 of the Act
Other offences> Helmet-less riding, not wearing seat belt in cars, taking U-turn in the wrong places and jumping signals can attract a fine of Rs. 100, the first time, and Rs. 300 for subsequent violations
> Driving without valid registration papers and insurance documents can result in a fine of up to Rs. 5,000 and Rs. 1,000, respectively
