Drink and Drive Penalty in India

Nowadays almost everybody has their own vehicle to avoid crowds in public transport. Especially in a pandemic situation, you prefer to drive your own vehicle. It is now a necessity for everyday life. 

If you want to drive your own vehicle, then the first step is to get your driving license, and for that, you need to take driving classes, and then you have to give a driving test to get your license. Once you get your driving license, you can travel conveniently and independently. 

It is your responsibility to drive safely. Safe driving is good for you, as well as for other road users.  Before driving a vehicle, you should know all the traffic rules of your city and maintain the same.

Nowadays drunk driving is a very common problem and takes many lives. Every life is important and you should care for your own life, as well as others' lives. To avoid accidents, you should avoid driving when you are drunk. Always remember that your dear ones are waiting for you back home. Be a responsible road user and save a life.

Is drunk driving a criminal offense?

Yes, driving under the influence of alcohol or any drug is a criminal offense under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicle Act 2019.

The cases of drunken driving-related road accidents are increasing gradually. According to The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), around 2% of the total road accidents that happen in India are because of drunk driving. 

Punishment for drunk driving

If you are drunk and drive your car, then be cautious. As it is a criminal offense, you might have to face imprisonment or you have to pay a fine. 

Under the new amendment Motor Vehicles Act, for the first offense, you have to face imprisonment for 6 months or you have to pay a fine of up to 10,000 rupees. It will increase up to 2 years of imprisonment and a fine of up to 15,000 rupees for repeat offenders.

The number of years of imprisonment or amount of fine is the same for all types of vehicles- personal vehicles, commercial vehicles, two-wheeler, three-wheelers, or four-wheelers. 

The process you have to follow in case of drunk driving

When you are caught drunk driving, you will have to go through all these procedures. If the traffic surgeon suspects any abnormalities then he will stop the vehicle for checking. The driver of that suspected vehicle has to give a test of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) by blowing into a breathalyzer. If the value of alcohol is more than 30mg per 100 ml of blood then the driver has the risk of penalty and prosecution. In this case, the offender may take to the nearest hospital for a final blood test.

It is the best choice for the driver to corporate with the traffic surgeon in this case. Otherwise, they will cancel your driving license and in the worst scenario, they can arrest you without an arrest warrant.

If the blood alcohol concentration exceeds the value of 30mg per 100 ml of blood, then you may get a challan for the fine and you will have to pay that fine at any cost. You can pay this fine either in online mode by following all the necessary steps or you can go to the nearest traffic police station and pay the fine. After paying the money, collect your receipt from them. In online mode, you will get a payment confirmation message and a receipt on your registered mobile number. 

If you violate the law repeatedly, you will have to pay a huge amount of money as a fine or face imprisonment for many years. Always be careful and try to obey all the traffic rules. All these laws and punishments are important because drunk driving not only puts your life at risk but also an innocent has to suffer for your carelessness.

 

How you can avoid a drunk driving-related accident?

As a responsible citizen, you have some responsibility towards your countryman. Your small initiative can save many lives. 

If you see any of your friends are drunk then always stop them to drive their vehicle. In that case, you drive their car or drop them at their home. 

If you are drunk always avoid driving or avoid drinking alcohol before driving because alcohol affects drivers in many aspects, including judgment, perception, reaction, control, and many more ways.

Conclusions

Drunk driving-related accidents are actually not an accident, it happens intentionally just because you are careless about your life and others. The government of India has strict laws and regulations for violating traffic rules, especially for drunk driving and all the traffic surgeons are doing their duty properly to save your life.  They need your cooperation to avoid accidents. Hence, always have safe drive and save a life.