BENGALURU: The Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) have seen a sharp drop in the number of drunk driving and speeding cases in comparison to the last three years. Statistics from the traffic police show, the police recorded 73,741 cases of drunk driving cases in 2017 and 53,092 in 2018. The number came down to 37,654 till November 30 this year. The police has attributed the drop in the number cases to strict enforcement rules and the steep fines effected this year.
“We have been carrying out strict enforcement. Special drives on drunk driving are carried out frequently... Knowing that there are checks, many people do not drive after having consumed alcohol above the permissible limit. In drunk driving cases, we do not levy fines but instead file a chargesheet, after which the violators have to present themselves before the court,” said a senior traffic police officer. Another police officer of the Cubbon Park police station said: “The traffic fine for drunk driving was earlier Rs 2,000, but it increased to Rs 10,000. Plus they will have to pay the lawyer too. People do not want to shell out such big amounts and are more cautious now”.
Additional Commissioner for Enforcement in Transport Department, CP Narayanaswamy, said the number of driving licenses cancelled and suspended due to drunk driving too has seen a dip. As many as 2,515 cases of speeding were registered in 2017, followed by 1,235 in 2018. In 2019 till now, there were only 590 cases. “The traffic police are always on the roads and catch offenders racing. These days it has reduced, which is also partly due to increase in traffic on the roads,” he said.