HC calls for zero tolerance against drunk driving
Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com
Chennai:26.10.2019
Advocating a zerotolerance policy against the drunk driving menace, the Madras high court has said that state and central governments should amend the Motor Vehicles Act to contain the growing scourge.
“It is not possible to countenance an argument that any person has a fundamental right to drink, let alone to drink any amount and then get behind the wheel of a motor car or onto a two-wheeler. Even the most minute impairment caused by alcohol intake might have the most disastrous consequences,” said Justice R Mahadevan.
Justice Mahadevan was passing orders denying any compensation to a victim of road accident, as he was found to be driving under the influence of alcohol.
Referring to a report released by Community Against Drunken Driving (CADD), the court said that around 1.34 lakh people die every year in India because of road accidents. The most shocking fact is that 70% of these are due to the consumption of alcohol, according to the report released in 2011.
“Regard must necessarily be had to the conditions in our country and in our cities — the overcrowded roads, pedestrian movement on roads, the absence of sufficient sidewalks or pavements, a general indiscipline and indifference to traffic regulations. Our roads and few sidewalks are used by hawkers during the day and by the poorest of the poor at night. This makes drunken driving more dangerous. This court does not think that it is possible to ignore these conditions, especially given our experience with fatalities caused to third parties by reported incidents of drunk driving,” Justice Mahadevan added.
Further, despite the law’s seemingly stern approach to drunk driving offenders, societal attitudes, by far and large, do not match, he said. A study by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) found that 99% of drivers who drink and drive, agree that it (drinking and driving) is dangerous and 97% were aware that it is prohibited under law. Despite this, many people are still getting behind the wheel while intoxicated, Justice Mahadevan pointed out. Noting that blood alcohol limit prescribed in Section 185 of the MV Act seems to be theoretical, Justice Mahadevan wanted the governments to amend the act so as to adopt zero tolerance norm in the act itself.
“The time has now come for just such a measure. Too many lives have already been lost to this lethal cocktail of internal consumption and internal combustion,” he added.
SCARY RIDES: A study by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences found that 99% of drivers who drink and drive, agree that drunk driving is dangerous
Sureshkumar.K@timesgroup.com
Chennai:26.10.2019
Advocating a zerotolerance policy against the drunk driving menace, the Madras high court has said that state and central governments should amend the Motor Vehicles Act to contain the growing scourge.
“It is not possible to countenance an argument that any person has a fundamental right to drink, let alone to drink any amount and then get behind the wheel of a motor car or onto a two-wheeler. Even the most minute impairment caused by alcohol intake might have the most disastrous consequences,” said Justice R Mahadevan.
Justice Mahadevan was passing orders denying any compensation to a victim of road accident, as he was found to be driving under the influence of alcohol.
Referring to a report released by Community Against Drunken Driving (CADD), the court said that around 1.34 lakh people die every year in India because of road accidents. The most shocking fact is that 70% of these are due to the consumption of alcohol, according to the report released in 2011.
“Regard must necessarily be had to the conditions in our country and in our cities — the overcrowded roads, pedestrian movement on roads, the absence of sufficient sidewalks or pavements, a general indiscipline and indifference to traffic regulations. Our roads and few sidewalks are used by hawkers during the day and by the poorest of the poor at night. This makes drunken driving more dangerous. This court does not think that it is possible to ignore these conditions, especially given our experience with fatalities caused to third parties by reported incidents of drunk driving,” Justice Mahadevan added.
Further, despite the law’s seemingly stern approach to drunk driving offenders, societal attitudes, by far and large, do not match, he said. A study by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) found that 99% of drivers who drink and drive, agree that it (drinking and driving) is dangerous and 97% were aware that it is prohibited under law. Despite this, many people are still getting behind the wheel while intoxicated, Justice Mahadevan pointed out. Noting that blood alcohol limit prescribed in Section 185 of the MV Act seems to be theoretical, Justice Mahadevan wanted the governments to amend the act so as to adopt zero tolerance norm in the act itself.
“The time has now come for just such a measure. Too many lives have already been lost to this lethal cocktail of internal consumption and internal combustion,” he added.
SCARY RIDES: A study by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences found that 99% of drivers who drink and drive, agree that drunk driving is dangerous
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