VISAKHAPATNAM: Despite awareness camps on road safety by city traffic police to strengthen law and order, the number of traffic offenders does not seem to be coming down. In a special drive that began on March 5, several motorists were penalised for not wearing helmet, seat belt and a few other violations. In four days, the police have registered 2,678 cases for driving without helmets and 514 cases for driving without seatbelt.
The traffic department has deployed special teams of sub-inspectors and inspectors besides special branch police for checks which began on March 5. Checks have been conducted at major junctions on the National Highway and some of the identified areas.
In a span of four days (March 5 to March 8) the teams have caught 2,678 persons without helmet and fined `100 to `200, going up to `500 in some cases. In the case of four-wheelers, 524 persons were caught and imposed stiff penalty.
Some of the senior officials from the traffic department said that if the number of traffic offenders did not come down in the coming days, they would not hesitate to impose more fines.
As many as 340 drunk driving cases have also been registered during night vigil by the police across the city, said additional deputy commissioner of police (Traffic) K Mahendra Patrudu. Drivers of cars and motorcycles top the list of offenders, he added. Police said all the vehicles have been impounded. The court would decide on the gravity of punishment, said the ADCP.