Over-speeding or drunken driving in Punjab will now attract community service at a hospital or compulsory blood donation as punishment, in addition to monetary fines and temporary suspension of license.
The traffic violators in Punjab may also lose their driving license for three months, as per the fresh notification issued by the State Government on Sunday, fixing the fine amount and suspension of licenses in case of traffic rule violations.
Even as the monetary fines increase after the first offence, the community services will remain the same.
The first offence of exceeding a speed limit will attract a fine of Rs 1,000 and suspension of the offender’s driver’s license for three months. For drunk driving, the fine is Rs 5,000 in addition to the license suspension for the same duration.
For subsequent offences, over-speeding will attract Rs 2,000, again along with the suspension of license for three months, while drunk driving will attract Rs 10,000 fine in addition to the suspension.
The fine of amount of Rs 1000 and Rs 2000, along with suspension of license for three months, will be imposed, respectively, on the first and second violation in case of red light jumping.
Offenders will also have to undertake a refresher course by the Transport Authority and teach at least 20 students from Classes IX to XII for at least two hours in a nearby school for every offence. They will then be issued a certificate by a nodal officer which will be verified by authorities at the time of payment of fines.
In addition to this, the offenders will have to do community service for at least two hours in a nearby hospital or donate at least one unit of blood at a nearby blood bank.
All traffic offences carry some monetary fine and suspension of license for three months.
In case of using mobile phone while driving, the composition fee is Rs 5,000 on first violation and Rs 10,000 on second violation as well as suspension of driving license for three months’ period each time.
The state Additional General of Police (Traffic) AS Rai appealed the people to avoid drive under influence of drink and drug as this could be led to any untoward incident. The fine amount under this violation is Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 on first and second violation besides suspending license for three months respectively, he added.
The violation of carrying overload and carrying person in goods carriages will attract composition fee of Rs 20,000 and Rs 2000 per extra tonne for access load and three month’s suspension of license on first violation and Rs 40,000 with Rs 2,000 per extra tonne for access load and suspension of license for three months on second violation, he added.
The riding of more than two persons on two wheelers will attract fine of Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000 for first and second violations along with suspension of license for three months.
DON’T VIOLATE RULES TO CURB ROAD MISHAPS: ADGP TRAFFIC
Issuing the fresh notification, the state Additional General of Police (Traffic) AS Rai on Sunday urged the people not to violate the stipulated rules to curb road mishaps, which was call of the day.
ADGP (Traffic) Rai said that the traffic police wings across Punjab had been given necessary directions to ensure strict compliance of instructions stipulated in the new notification. “In days to come, the police nakas to check speed limit, jumping red light, using mobile phone while driving, influence of drink and drug at time of driving, overloading, and riding more than two persons on two wheelers.
Seeking fulsome cooperation from the general public, AS Rai said that now licenses of violators would be suspended for a specific period on first and second violations besides they will have to undergo the community services as suggested by the competent authorities.
ADGP not only urged the parent but also to the school authorities to educate the underage children or students about the traffic rules besides preventing them to drive vehicles unless they are obtained licenses. “It has been observed that in cities, triple-riding was done by the teenagers and other youngsters which would be strictly prevented by imposing fixed fine amount,” he said.
Now, the police officer of the rank of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) and above only authorized to challan the vehicle for over-speed, jumping red light, using mobile phone while driving, drunk and drive and triple riding, he added.