<p>Drunk drivers in Bengaluru seem to have found ways to avoid the mandatory suspension of their licences despite traffic cops intensifying their efforts to rein in the menace that is a major road hazard.</p><p>The Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) registered 21,940 drunk-driving cases and collected Rs 22.5 crore in fines this year (until December 26). Out of this huge number, only 1,263 Driving Licences (DLs) — less than 6% — were suspended, a hint that something is amiss.</p><p>A senior traffic police officer admitted that not all drunk-driving cases were leading to DL suspensions.</p><p>“Many drivers are found without their licences so we cannot seize and send them to the RTO (for suspension). It’s also possible that drivers choose to say they do not have their DLs on them, fearing suspension,” the officer told DH on the condition of anonymity. As per the rules, a drunk driver is fined of Rs 10,000 and loses DL for three months for the first offence; for the second offence, the suspension lasts six months and so on. Police also mandatorily confiscate the vehicle.</p>.Bengaluru: Teen boys doing wheelie on scooter killed in crash with truck.<p>However, many drivers seem to have found a simple but effective way to avoid getting their DL suspended.</p><p>Police see a clear pattern of people agreeing to pay the additional fine (Rs 2,000) for driving without a licence rather than having their DL suspended.</p><p>“It’s also difficult to ascertain whether action was taken against drivers of vehicles from other states. The process of obtaining their DLs and sending them for suspension to their respective states is tricky, mainly because authorities there might not be as cooperative,” a senior police officer from the south traffic division said.</p><p>Data bears this out.</p><p>While the police sent 3,110 DLs to the Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) for suspension this year, only 1,263 of them have been suspended.</p><p>The BTP intensified drunk-driving checks this year as it was a major problem contributing to both dangerous driving on roads and road crashes.</p><p>An official memo issued on August 21, 2024, directed all the 50 traffic police stations to ramp up their efforts in checking vehicles for drunk drivers.</p><p>Another memo issued on the same day mandated women police officers — a head constable and a police constable — to be on the road to check for women drivers for drunk-driving. However, women drivers made up a very small portion of the total violators.</p><p>Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M N Anucheth asserted that enforcement has been stricter since September.</p><p>In 2022, the city reported an unusually high number of drunk-driving cases (26,371) because police conducted physical drives for all traffic violations and found many drivers under the influence of alcohol.</p><p>In 2023, the number fell drastically — to 7,053 — because drunk-driving cases weren’t considered a priority area. Police also introduced the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), which eliminated physical checks for most traffic violations. Of the 21,940 cases this year, 5,500 cases were reported in the east division alone. The division comprises CBD and other core areas.</p><p>This December has already reported 2,259 cases, with four more days to go.</p>
<p>Drunk drivers in Bengaluru seem to have found ways to avoid the mandatory suspension of their licences despite traffic cops intensifying their efforts to rein in the menace that is a major road hazard.</p><p>The Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) registered 21,940 drunk-driving cases and collected Rs 22.5 crore in fines this year (until December 26). Out of this huge number, only 1,263 Driving Licences (DLs) — less than 6% — were suspended, a hint that something is amiss.</p><p>A senior traffic police officer admitted that not all drunk-driving cases were leading to DL suspensions.</p><p>“Many drivers are found without their licences so we cannot seize and send them to the RTO (for suspension). It’s also possible that drivers choose to say they do not have their DLs on them, fearing suspension,” the officer told DH on the condition of anonymity. As per the rules, a drunk driver is fined of Rs 10,000 and loses DL for three months for the first offence; for the second offence, the suspension lasts six months and so on. Police also mandatorily confiscate the vehicle.</p>.Bengaluru: Teen boys doing wheelie on scooter killed in crash with truck.<p>However, many drivers seem to have found a simple but effective way to avoid getting their DL suspended.</p><p>Police see a clear pattern of people agreeing to pay the additional fine (Rs 2,000) for driving without a licence rather than having their DL suspended.</p><p>“It’s also difficult to ascertain whether action was taken against drivers of vehicles from other states. The process of obtaining their DLs and sending them for suspension to their respective states is tricky, mainly because authorities there might not be as cooperative,” a senior police officer from the south traffic division said.</p><p>Data bears this out.</p><p>While the police sent 3,110 DLs to the Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) for suspension this year, only 1,263 of them have been suspended.</p><p>The BTP intensified drunk-driving checks this year as it was a major problem contributing to both dangerous driving on roads and road crashes.</p><p>An official memo issued on August 21, 2024, directed all the 50 traffic police stations to ramp up their efforts in checking vehicles for drunk drivers.</p><p>Another memo issued on the same day mandated women police officers — a head constable and a police constable — to be on the road to check for women drivers for drunk-driving. However, women drivers made up a very small portion of the total violators.</p><p>Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) M N Anucheth asserted that enforcement has been stricter since September.</p><p>In 2022, the city reported an unusually high number of drunk-driving cases (26,371) because police conducted physical drives for all traffic violations and found many drivers under the influence of alcohol.</p><p>In 2023, the number fell drastically — to 7,053 — because drunk-driving cases weren’t considered a priority area. Police also introduced the Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), which eliminated physical checks for most traffic violations. Of the 21,940 cases this year, 5,500 cases were reported in the east division alone. The division comprises CBD and other core areas.</p><p>This December has already reported 2,259 cases, with four more days to go.</p>