Hyderabad: Around 13,933 motorists have been booked by Hyderabad police for drunk driving between August 24 and November 21, with violators facing fines, imprisonment and suspension of licences.
According to reports, 824 drunk drivers were sentenced to jail ranging from one to 10 days. Additionally, 227 drivers were sentenced to complete two days of social service. The regional transport office (RTO) also suspended 99 driving licenses for periods between two to six months, based on the orders of magistrates.
Further, the courts imposed a hefty fine for drunk driving totalling Rs 2,87,20,600 on all violators during this period.
In this period, 13,188 charge sheets were filed in various courts, all of which were disposed of. A total of 52,080 drunk drivers have been apprehended so far this year.
Apart from Hyderabad police issuing fines, a drunk driving drive was conducted on November 9 which led to the arrest of 327 drunk drivers with cases booked under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act. On October 4, forty-four drivers were sentenced and jailed for a period of up to four days.
Hyderabad police noted that 633 motorists were caught having a blood alcohol content (BAC) exceeding 200 mg/100 ml which is above the permissible limit of 30 mg/100 ml. Of the total drunk drivers caught in the past three months, two-wheeler riders accounted for the majority with 11,904 violators accounting for 85 per cent.
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The drunk drivers were counselled at the traffic training Institutes in Goshamahal and Begumpet, with their families present to reinforce the message of responsible driving.
The Hyderabad traffic police emphasized the dangers of drunk driving pointing out that alcohol impairs vision, reduces caution, and encourages risky behaviour all of which can lead to accidents, often with fatal consequences.
Drunk driving is a punishable offence under Section 185 of the MV Act, with penalties including a fine of up to Rs. 10,000 and/or imprisonment for up to six months. Repeat offenders face the suspension of their driving licenses for a minimum of three months or permanently.
The Hyderabad police urged motorists to avoid driving under the influence and to consider alternatives such as public transport, cabs, auto rickshaws, or bike taxis for a safer journey home.
