The Director General of Police (DGP) on Monday informed the Madras High Court that 4.22 lakh cases of drunken driving were filed in the State between January 2019 and February 2022 and a fine amount of Rs. 18.70 crore was collected from the offenders. He also said that 1,108 road accidents had taken place between 2018 and February 2022 due to drunken driving and that 262 people were killed in those accidents.
In a status report filed before the third Division Bench of Justices T. Raja and Kabali Kumaresh Babu, the DGP said, stringent action, including imposition of fine and suspension of driving licence, was being taken against those found to be driving motor vehicles under the influence of alcohol though the breath analyser tests were discontinued between March 2020 and April this year to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
The DGP told the court that whenever the police suspects any person to be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they insist upon the driver to undergo a breath test on the spot with a breathalyzer. If the driver refuses to take the test, then a presumption of drunkenness gets drawn under Section 205 of the Motor Vehicles Act and the driver given another opportunity to undergo the test at the police station after arrest.
