On New Year's eve; maximum offenders on motorcycles. The entire year of 2010 registered only 720 drunk driving cases
On New Year's eve; maximum offenders on motorcycles. The entire year of 2010 registered only 720 drunk driving cases
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| 630 offenders were riding motor cycles, 19 were driving three wheelers, 178 offenders were caught driving their four wheelers, 8 were taxi drivers, 10 were tempo drivers, 11 were truck drivers and 4 were trailer drivers. File pic |
The government certainly started the New Year with a bang, making a cool Rs 25 lakh on December 31 after fining high-spirited Mumbaikars in drunk driving cases. The revellers were so high on this New Year eve that between 12.30 am and 5 am, 860 drunk driving cases were booked, which brings us to a staggering ratio of three people booked in one minute. This, due to the efforts of over 1,500 traffic cops stationed across the city, despite a 35 per cent drop in the number of vehicles plying the streets, a fallout of the terror threat.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (traffic) Nandkumar Chougle says they have collected a bond fine of Rs 3,000 from each offender. Out of these, 145 appeared before the Special Metropolitan Magistrates. 672 cases have been adjourned to the next date. 43 drunken drivers were absent for hearing, so warrants were issued against them," he added.
Interestingly, the number of offenders this time on a single night is higher than last year's figure of 720. Among the 860 offenders caught last night, two were women. The youngest offender was little over 18 years old and the oldest offender was 58 years old.
The Eastern suburbs had it the worst, with maximum drunk driving reported in the jurisdiction of Mulund traffic division, where 90 cases were registered, followed by Chembur with 56 cases and Vikhroli with 52 cases. South Mumbai, on the other hand, has seen a steep decline in the number of offenders, and reported the lowest figure, 65. It was followed by 162 cases in Central Mumbai.
Those caught for drunk driving includes 630 riding motor cycles, 19 on three wheelers, 178 offenders on four wheelers, eight taxis drivers, 10 tempo drivers, 11 truck driver and four trailer drivers.
Drunk driving facts and figuresRecords reveal that from the time the drunk driving campaign started in June 2007 until December 31, 2010, the traffic police have registered a total of 56,728 cases, by way of which the government exchequer earned Rs 11.27 crore. While the court cancelled 28,197 licences, the RTO cancelled 4,230 licences, and 777 cases are still pending with RTO for action.
