Drink Responsibly! ‘Cops to Crack Down on Drunk Drivers/Riders Randomly’ says Top Cop
Mangaluru: With Mangaluru turning into an education hub and moving into a centre of India’s high-tech industry, students and people from all over India come, and the population keeps increasing, leading to a rapid increase in the number of vehicles in the city. This has increased the concern about traffic rules violations & pollution This coastal City is also known for its restaurants and nightlife. With pubs and bars being highly active on weekends, cases of drunk driving are more frequent. Many cases of drunk driving have been reported in different parts of the City in the past, and alcohol affects drivers in several aspects, which makes them incapable of driving safely.
To curb excessive drinking and driving, the City police commissioner Anupam Agarwal has directed the concerned traffic personnel including DCP (Crime & Traffic) and ACP (Traffic) Ms Geetha Kulkarni, along with their police personnel of SIs, ASIs and Constables to keep an eye on motorists travelling around in the city under the influence of alcohol. A motorist caught driving under the influence of alcohol beyond the permissible limit is liable to be charged for drunk driving. The legally permissible limit is 30 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood.
If traffic policemen catch you driving under the influence of alcohol for the first time, you will be issued a challan after which you will have to appear in Court, and the judge will make a decision on a suitable fine, ranging from Rs 7000 or Rs.10,000 (usually the judge slaps with a Rs 10K fine and/or imprisonment of duration up to 6 months. These traffic fines or penalties apply to two-wheelers, four-wheelers, and all commercial vehicles. ” If a driver/rider is found drunk, he will have to leave his/her vehicle behind at the spot, or make someone else drive/ride them home or police can seize the vehicle” added ACP Kulkarni.
L-R: Gopalkrishna Bhat (Police Inspector-Kadri East Traffic police); Dinesh Kumar DCP (Crime & Traffic) & Ms Geetha Kulkarni ACP (Traffic)
If you are caught violating this traffic rule for the second time, you will be charged a fine of Rs.15,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 2 years. The City Traffic Police uses various measures, like imposing traffic fines, to maintain discipline on the road. However, if a person continues to drive drunk and gets involved in a fatal accident, he/she will be booked for culpable homicide. This is a non-bailable offence.
Earlier, the suspected drivers used to be escorted to hospitals for blood tests to check the presence of alcohol. Cases were reported after the hospitals released the results of blood tests, and the alcohol content was found to be above the permissible limits. The traffic police in the City are now checking the motorists with alcohol meters or breathalyzers. Both active and passive consumption is checked, and the people found guilty are issued challans/tickets to appear in Court
According to DCP (Crime & Traffic) Dinesh Kumar there is a strict NO for the SPOT FINE on drinking and driving in Mangaluru which means you will have to appear at the court with the challan issued by the police and then admit your guilt of being accused for drink and drive and Pay fine at the court. The limit is 30mgs/100ml. You have to blow into the Alcometer if the RED LED blinks then you have to blow into the Alcometer ageing through a straw. Don’t abuse, harass or physically assault the officers, you could be charged with certain IPC Sections of the IMV Act. Don’t even try begging or bribing the cops. Does Not help.
During the routine DUI checks at Nanthoor Junction, Kankanady Pumpwell, Kottara Chowki, and Kuntikhan, among couple of other spots, as per Police Inspector (Traffic Kadri East Police Station) Gopalkrishna Bhat, nearly 33 cases were booked for driving under the Influence of Alcohol, and challans were issued to the violators, who will have to appear in the Court after a warrant is sent to them and appear before the judge for the verdict.
In conclusion, Alcohol impairs the judgment, attitude, perception, vigilance, reaction, and coordination of drivers. It can lead to fatal accidents and can cost you or someone else’s life. The government has imposed heavy traffic fines to put a check on such ignorant acts. Though the Karnataka government has declared a reduction in fines for some offences, the fines for drunk driving remain the same. Driving safely is the single most important thing you can do to protect your life. It is also important to get car insurance for your vehicles.