Date:20/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/20/stories/2006052005030200.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Habitual offenders may lose driving licence

Special Correspondent

Database of those fined several times being prepared

The police may recommend to the RTOs to suspend licence of habitual offenders for six months

A few violations to be categorised as serious offences

Bangalore: The police are out to deal more strictly with drivers repeatedly violating traffic rules in the city. Between 18 and 20 per cent of those caught for violations have been fined on earlier occasions and the police now believe more stringent action against them is called for.

While the police are working out the criteria for determining who can be termed "habitual offenders", the severity of the violations will be taken into account. Jumping red lights at signals, for example, will be taken more seriously than a parking violation. Breaking the one-way rule will be taken as a serious offence too.

The city police have reportedly completed preparing a database of repeat violators of traffic rules and this will be cross checked whenever a driver is stopped and fined. A list will then be prepared and forwarded to the Regional Transport Offices with the recommendation that the driving licence of the offender be suspended for up to six months. The next time that driver is caught breaking traffic rule, the recommendation may be for cancellation of the licence.

The number of traffic violations, many of them of serous nature, has been increasing of late, according to senior police officers. While spot fines are resorted to and range from Rs. 200 to Rs. 500 for many violations, this has not been found to be a deterrent, they say. There are close to 23 lakh persons with valid driving licences and almost 17 lakh have been booked at some time or other for breaking traffic rules, records have revealed.