Over 3,000 drunk driving cases on New Year Eve

Hyderabad: Over 3,000 cases of drunk and drive were registered in Hyderabad during the New Year celebrations. The cases were lodged during the special drive taken up by the police in Hyderabad, Cyberabad, and Rachakonda police Commissionerates. During the drive to curb drunk and driving to prevent road accidents, four women, 19 senior citizens, and 13 minors were among those who were caught.

A large number of vehicles were seized by the traffic police during late-night checking. According to the police, during the celebrations, there was an increase in drunk driving instances. The police hadtaken strict measures to reduce drunken driving, using breath analyzers from 8 pm onwards. After imposing traffic restrictions, the police, using speed radars and vehicle-mounted cameras and kept a close watch on violators by conducting breath analyzer tests.

The maximum offences were reported in Hyderabad (1,243) followed by Cyberabad (1,241) and Rachakonda (517). The maximum number of cases were booked by the Miyapur police (253), followed by Kukatpally (123), Uppal (107), and Vanasthalipuram (105). The IT corridor accounted for a greater number of drunk driving cases.

As many as 2,435 two-wheelers, 73 three-wheelers, and 486 four-wheelers were booked. In Rachakonda, over 342 persons had blood alcohol content (BAC) up to 100 mg/100 ml of blood, 173 had up to 300 mg, and two persons had 500 mg.

The Cyberabad police said the violators’ licenses were seized and sent to the concerned RTAs for suspension as per Section 19 of the MV Act 1988. Around 681 persons had an alcohol reading of more than 100 mg/100 ml, 509 up to 300 mg, and 51 up to 500 mg.

The police said they were disappointed by seeing highly educated persons and employees of reputed organisationsviolating traffic rules.

They said these persons will have to mandatorily attend counselling along with their family members at the traffic training institutes in the Commissionerate’s.

Later, they should also attend court for final disposal of the cases. Senior traffic police officials said the violators would face a penalty of up to Rs 10,000 and imprisonment, along with community service, as punishment.

They said the drive against drunk driving will continue throughout the year to check repeated offencesby those drivers. There will be zero tolerance as far as preventing road accidents are concerned, police added.