Imagine being in a school where there is no schedule of different lectures, no discipline, no timings mentioned for starting and ending the day. Chaotic, right? The chaos might have been the same on the road had there been no rules to follow. Driving on the left side, following traffic signals, wearing a helmet, strapping the seatbelt, carrying a licence, and using the right indicators–each rule is meant to ensure a safe as well as smooth ride every time you hit the road. And to make sure that motorists follow the rules, a set of penalties and traffic fines are levied on violators just like punishment at school.
The Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019, which was implemented on September 1, 2019, introduced new traffic fines and penalties that you need to be aware of as a driver. The traffic rules violators would get Challans, which they have to pay within a specified time mentioned therein. As penalties and legal wrangling are powerful deterrents in society, the following list of violations and penalties must be taken note of:
Driving While Under the Influence of any Intoxicating Substances
Drunk driving was never a cool or a safe thing to do in the first place. Since driving while under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicating substances is a serious offence that endangers the driver’s safety and also of others, as per the new traffic rules and fines, the offender faces serious consequences. These vary depending on the level of alcohol in the blood. If the alcohol level exceeds 30 mg per 100 ml of blood, there will be a penalty of INR 10,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 6 months. If the offence is repeated the second time, the fine rises to INR 15,000 and imprisonment tenure up to 2 years.
Speed-testing and Racing
Racing is good on tracks but on public roads, it is a punishable offence. If you drive over the specified speed limit, a penalty of up to INR 4,000 may be levied. If you are driving a light motor vehicle, the fine ranges from INR 1,000-2,000. But if you drive a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) or a heavy passenger vehicle (HPV), then the fine ranges from INR 2,000-4,000 in addition to the possibility of the driving licence being impounded.
Document-related Offences
Every time you drive, there are certain documents that you must carry with you no matter what. Driver’s licence (DL), motor insurance papers and RC (Registration Certificate) are mandatory when on Indian roads. If you are caught driving without a valid licence, you shall be penalised with a INR 5,000 fine. The fine for driving without a valid motor vehicle insurance policy has been increased from INR 1,000 to INR 2,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 3 months for first-time lawbreakers, and INR 4,000 and/or imprisonment of up to 3 months for repeat offenders. Driving without a proper registration certificate attracts a fine of INR 5,000 for first-time offenders. This increases to INR 10,000 if repeated. These documents, however, need not be carried in physical form. Even if you produce those on Digilocker or m-Parivahan, it’s deemed as valid.
Juvenile Traffic Lawbreakers
Never allow a minor to drive a vehicle. If caught driving or breaking a traffic law, the juvenile's guardian will be found guilty and face a fine of INR 25,000 with a three-year prison sentence. The RC may also be suspended for a year, and the juvenile may be barred from obtaining a learner's permit until they reach the age of 25.
Having Two Driving Licences Simultaneously
You will be fined if you are caught with more than one driver’s licence. The Central Government has mandated that all states and Union Territories issue DLs and RCs that are identical in design, colour, and security features beginning October 1, 2019. All future driver's licences will include a smart chip that can be accessed by traffic cops via a QR code. The smart chip will store information about the driver, such as name, blood group, address, and history of previous violations, among other things. But what if you have two licences for different classes of vehicles? In that case, you need to club or renew such licences through the Parivahan Sewa website www.parivahan.gov.in .
General Violations
Driving without a seatbelt will attract a fine of INR 1,000 or/and community service. If you are caught driving without a helmet, you are liable to pay a fine of INR 1,000 and/or licence revocation and community service for 3 months. Riding with a phone in hand is an offence with a fine of INR 5,000. Your safety while on the road can also be compromised by rash driving. To curb this, the penalty has been increased to one year in prison or a fine of INR 1,000-5,000. A second offence carries a penalty of two years in prison or a INR 10,000 fine. In addition to this, situations like using horn in silent zones, not giving way to ambulance & fire engine and jumping red light will attract a fine of INR 2,000, INR 10,000 and INR 1000-5000 respectively.
Overloading
In India, tripling is a common occurrence. Think twice the next time you're planning to do a triple-seat ride with your friends. The fine was previously set at INR 100, but has now been raised to Rs 2,000. The DL will also be turned off for three months.
The above-mentioned traffic fines are an overall picture. It's worth noting, however, that RTO fines can vary from state to state. The fines imposed by the Mumbai traffic police may differ from those imposed by the Bangalore RTO. For example, 'using a cellphone while driving' is an offence that the Mumbai RTO fines INR 200 for, but Bangalore RTO may fine INR 100. RTO fines can be paid online with an RTO challan (also known as an e-challan).
To ensure that this new set of rules actually results in the desired change, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has digitised the fine collection process through e-challans in order to increase adherence to the law, improve transparency, and reduce the risk of bribery in lieu of traffic police fine.
Safety should always be the first motivation for adhering to proper driving or riding protocols, and not the hefty new fines for traffic violations. That being said, penalties will undoubtedly enforce discipline. While the government has taken necessary steps to make roads safer, you must also think ahead and become a more responsible driver by following the rules of the road. Remember, it’s your life at stake here, too!
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