Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

More support for 'Suraksha Sanchara'

By Our Special Correspondent

Bangalore April 18. As the joint campaign by organisations against drinking and driving in Bangalore, "Suraksha Sanchara", nears its final phase, two agencies with international links have strengthened their support for it. The Bangalore Traffic Police, the Bangalore Agenda Task Force, the NIMHANS and the Global Road Safety Partnership are active in the campaign launched in early February. The Society for Alcohol-related Social Policy Initiative (SASPI), headquartered in Delhi, is another partner and is supported by the International Centre for Alcohol Policies (ICAP), Washington D.C. The World Bank supports the Global Road Safety Partnership.

Moyna Singh, Secretary General of SASPI, told The Hindu that a pilot ``roadside survey'' to gauge the extent of drunken driving had been carried out with the help of hospitals treating accident victims, including NIMHANS, and the Traffic Police. The data gathered was being analysed to identify the most vulnerable group, which in the light of past accident statistics appeared to zero in on young two-wheeler riders.

A three-part awareness campaign had also begun to make drivers understand of what happened when alcohol in relatively large quantities entered the blood, Ms. Singh said. The effect on drivers included impaired vision, judgment and reflexes, all leading to accidents on the road.

The second part was about the law regarding drunken driving. The Motor Vehicles Act and its sections about driving under the influence of alcohol and local regulations would be highlighted. Penalties such as fines, cancellation of driving license and seizing the vehicle of a driver under the influence of alcohol, which the police are authorised to carry out, would be explained. The Traffic Police would be involved in this campaign, carrying the message of warning to drivers under the influence of alcohol that "you will be caught and punished.''

When the enforcement phase of the campaign begins towards the end of May, the Traffic Police will be well equipped. Infosys has contributed 22 ``alcometers'' to test drivers under the influence of alcohol.

``The law may refer to permissible levels of alcohol and set limits but we feel that even a drink or two can affect the reflexes and judgment of a driver,'' Ms. Singh pointed out. "As far as SASPI is concerned, the message will be clear: if you drink do not drive at all.''

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