Traffic Rules: For residents of Delhi-NCR who frequently commute to Delhi in their own vehicles, recent developments from the Delhi Traffic Police are of significant importance. A new directive has been issued for drivers, stipulating that if an individual is apprehended for reckless driving or for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs on three or more occasions, their driving license will be revoked. This initiative by the Delhi Traffic Police aims to curb the rising incidence of fatal accidents on the capital’s roads and to impose stringent measures against repeat offenders.
Driving license will be revoked
Data from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways indicates a troubling increase in road accidents, rising from 138,000 to over 168,000 in the past three years. In response, the traffic police have formally requested the Transport Department to take decisive action, including the revocation of licenses for habitual traffic rule violators. In 2021, Delhi recorded 1,239 fatalities resulting from 1,206 accidents, while by December 15, 2024, these figures escalated to 1,431 deaths from 1,398 accidents. This reflects a rise in the average daily fatalities from three in 2021 to four in 2024.
What is the rule
The Motor Vehicles Act, originally enacted in 1988, underwent amendments in 2019, which significantly increased penalties for various offenses from approximately Rs 100 to a range of Rs 500 to Rs 20,000. A recent communication from the Delhi Traffic Police to the Delhi Transport Department has recommended the cancellation of driving licenses for individuals found guilty of violating Sections 184 and/or 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, on three or more occasions.
These sections pertain to dangerous driving behaviors, including running red lights, improper overtaking, and using mobile phones while driving, in addition to driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.