(a) whether increase in the number of road accidents due to drunken driving has been reported from various States in the country;
(b) if so, the number of such accidents reported during the last three years and the current year, State/UT-wise; and
(c) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to check drunken driving?
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)
(a) & (b) As per the information received from police department of States/UTs, the number of road accidents under the drunken driving category of traffic violation during last three calendar years i.e. 2015 to 2017 is as under:-
Year Road Accidents due to Intake of Alcohol Total number of Road
Accidents % share of total road accident
2015 16,298 5,01,423 3.3
2016 14,894 4,80,652 3.1
2017 14,071 4,64,910 3.0
State-wise details of the same is given at annexure.
(c) Following steps have been initiated by the Government to curb the number of road accidents caused by drunken driving: -
(i) Section 185 of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 provides for punishment of imprisonment or fine or both for the offence of drunken driving cases.
(ii) All the State Government/UTs have been requested to ensure that no license is issued to liquor vendors along National Highways. Further they have also been requested to review cases where licence has already been given for liquor vendors along National Highways and to take corrective action.
(iii) Ministry undertakes campaigns through print and electronic media to spread awareness among road uses about dangers of drunken driving.
(iv) Enforcement of various provisions of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 is the responsibility of State Governments. This Ministry has issued instructions to all State Governments to invoke Section 185 of Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 which provides for punishment of imprisonment or fine or both for the offence of drunken driving.
(v) The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways provided financial assistant to States for procurement of breath analysers.