RTO to instruct Yelahanka schools to conduct alcometer test for drivers

Move follows spurt in drunk-driving by school bus drivers

The Regional Transport Office (RTO) in Yelahanka will be sending an advisory to all the schools and colleges in its jurisdiction to conduct alcometer tests for drivers of their respective educational institution and to have trained drivers.

The move comes in the wake of the police registering a large number of drunk-driving cases against school bus drivers across the city in the recent weeks. Ashfaq Ahmed, Regional Transport Officer, Yelahanka said that he will be sending the advisory to institutions on Monday. Speaking to DH after a workshop on drunken driving here on Sunday, Ahmed said, “It is not easy for the police or the RTOs to check every driver for drunk-driving. “During the workshop, several school managements showed interest to conduct alcometer tests.”

Drivers from around 100 schools and colleges in Yelahanka attended the workshop organised by the RTO, Yelahanka. Sessions were conducted by counselors from Alcoho-lics Anonymous on alcohol abuse and special trainers from Ashoka Leyland on
driving.

There are around 300 educational institutions in and around Yelahanka. “I was told that a few institutions are already conducting alcometer tests of their drivers. I will, however, write to all the managements and ask them to implement the same. It is however not mandatory. It is a  preventive measure,” added Ahmed.

Vishwanath, a driver from Vidyashilp Academy, Yelahanka, said that his school conducts alcometer tests for all its drivers in the evening before they go for their duties. “At the workshop, we were briefed on the legal consequences of drunken driving. Drunk-driving amounts to loss of reputation and it is best that no one drinks while on the job,” he said.

Educative
Nagesh V, a driver from DPS, Whitefield, said, “The workshop was very educative. When parents leave their children with us, they do so with a lot of trust in us and it is our responsibility to return that trust.”

Ahmed said that penalties would be greater under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2016, that was passed in August 2016. “Under the new law, the fine for drunken driving will be Rs 10,000 against the present Rs 2,000. In case of subsequent offences, it will be Rs  15,000,” he said.

Globally, India tops the list for the most number of road accidents with causalities numbering 1.5 lakh last year. This translates to one accident per minute, added Ahmed.