New road safety norms draft released: Drunk driving may see your licence cancelled for life

A draft of the Road Transport and Safety Bill (RTSB) of 2014 proposes a raft of changes to the way we drive on Indian roads. India is the world’s capital in road deaths and this bill seeks to overhaul the entire system of licensing, accidents, penalties for traffic offences and related issued like vehicle insurance.

The draft was today put up for public comments by the ministry of road transport and highways and this bill is expected to be tabled in Parliament during the Winter Session.

Among other things, the bill proposes that if the licence of a driver has been suspended once but he again commits offences to attract another suspension, this time the licence will be cancelled for five years. That should be warning enough to all those crazy Casanovas on the road who think nothing of driving drunk, driving on the wrong side, over-speeding or driving an unregistered vehicle.

The entire process of granting a driver’s licence will be online, thereby eliminating the need to circle Regional Transport Offices (RTOs) and bribe officials to get one without actually taking a proper driving test. And renewing licence, when already indicted for grave traffic offences, very tough.

But the best part about the draft RTSB is stiff penalties it proposes for each and every traffic offence. The first time a driver is caught at the wheel drunk, he must shell out Rs 15,000 fine and/or be ready for imprisonment for a term of six months, which may extend to 12 months. Plus a 6-month licence suspension from the date of conviction, or date of sentencing or date of release.

A second drunk driving offence will mean permanent cancellation of driving licence and a two-year jail term.

For the first time, the draft bill proposes a stiff fine of Rs 3 lakh and a minimum jail term of seven years for causing the death of a child. This is highest penalty proposed on an individual in case of any traffic violation.

And a fine of Rs 1 lakh and at least a four-year jail term for causing death under “certain circumstances”.

Indians think nothing of jumping a traffic signal. If the provisions of this bill are ratified, first instance of jumping a signal will make your pocket lighter by Rs 5,000, second instance will cost you double at Rs 10,000 and third time, not only will penalty be increased to Rs 15,000, your licence will be suspended for a month. If you are driving without either wearing a seat belt or a helmet, you will have to shell out Rs 2,500 for the first offence.

In fact, the draft bill proposes negative points for each traffic violation and if a driver accumulates 12 negative points, his licence will be suspended for a year.

On suspension of the driving licence, the accrued penalty points shall cease to subsist. If a driver whose licence has been suspended again accumulates 12 points, that person’s driving licence shall be cancelled for a period of five years.

If a person holding a learner’s licence accrues four points, then the learner’s licence shall be cancelled. The person whose learner’s licence has been cancelled shall produce a certificate of driving as prescribed from recognised school or establishment when that person applies for fresh learner’s licence.