Drunk driving is a growing problem across India. Every year, around 1.5 lakh people are killed in five lakh accidents that take place across the country and between 2.5-3 lakh people are injured. The GDP loss to the country is two per cent. Besides, 62 per cent of those killed in road accidents are in the 18-35 age group. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is a punishable offence. A person can be punished if alcohol exceeding 30 milligram per 100 milliliter of blood is detected in a breath analyzer test.
Road traffic injuries cause considerable economic losses to inPiduals, their families, and to nations as a whole. These losses arise from the cost of treatment as well as lost productivity for those killed or disabled by their injuries, and for family members who need to take time off work or school to care for the injured. In India, drunken driving is customary by commercial vehicle drivers. Private car owners and youngsters are also major players in the game.
Driving under the influence of alcohol and any psychoactive substance or drug increases the risk of a crash that results in death or serious injuries. In the case of drunk-driving, the risk of a road traffic crash starts at low levels of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and increases significantly when the driver's BAC is ≥ 0.04 g/d. A drunk driver increases the likelihood of a crash because of poor judgment and decreased visual acuity.
A drunken driver is a potential murderer as he cannot perform his tasks without risks and endangers road safety. Drunken driving is an illegal act which entails not only levying hefty fines or revocation of license, but also prosecution, same as a criminal offense. Usually, drivers escape from the scene as the public gets involved in getting the injured hospitalized rather than snitch the drunken driver and teaching him a lesson.
Getting behind the wheel of a vehicle after consuming alcohol is a serious crime. It won't be inappropriate to say that a drunken driver is like a suicide bomber, who has set out to kill himself as well as the others and thus deserves a very stern sentence which may have a deterrent effect. According to the new law, drunken driving penalty has been increased to 6 months imprisonment and/or Rs. 10,000 fine for the first offence and 2 years imprisonment and/or fine of Rs. 15,000 for second offence. Earlier the penalty was Rs. 2,000 only.
The effects of alcohol abuse vary greatly, putting you at risk for causing an accident or highway injury. All motorists have a responsibility to ensure that both their vehicle and themselves are legal to be on the road. This means holding a valid auto insurance policy, applicable driving license and taking the vehicle to the road only when above the legal age limit. Insurance is also crucial when there are so many drunk drivers on the roads, as it protects vehicles in the event of an accident but not if it is driven by a person under the influence of liquor or drugs.
Safe driving requires the ability to concentrate, make good judgments and quickly react to situations. However, alcohol affects these skills, putting yourself and others in danger. Identifying vulnerable locations and systematic crackdowns help reducing drunk driving. Awareness and adherence to traffic rules among people, and united efforts by police, RTOs, NGOs among others are keys to reduce road accidents. More than government, we vehicle users have a role to play in ensuring that all road users are safeguarded on the roads.