PANJIM: The Goa Police Traffic Cell has booked a mere 1,236 cases of drunken driving and 326 cases of underage driving cars or riding two-wheelers from January 2022 till date.
Speaking to reporters, SP (Traffic) Bossuet Silva on Thursday said the Goa Police Traffic Cell has started a special drive in this regard. Highlighting the case of death of Reena Gonsalves from Chicalim, who died after her two-wheeler was hit by a car driven by underage driver in inebriated state, SP Silva said that in such cases the minors, parents, owners of the vehicle will be liable for fine and punishment as applicable under the Motor Vehicle Act.
Registration of vehicles involved in such accidents involving minors will be cancelled. The minor will not be given driving licence till he attained the age of 25. There are provisions in law to fine and imprison owners of the vehicle and parents of the minor for a period of up to three years if minor is found driving the vehicle, he said.
SP Silva said that in the past the a minor was denied driving licence till he turned 25 after he was found driving a vehicle and not giving way to an ambulance.
The punishment for drunken driving for the first offence is imprisonment for a term which may extend up to a period of six months or with fine of Rs 10,000 or with both and for the second or subsequent offence with imprisonment for a term which may extend to two years or with a fine of Rs 15,000 or with both.
Further, the driving licence of the violator is suspended for a period of three months. For underage driving, a fine of Rs 5,000 is imposed upon the driver/rider and an additional fine of Rs 5,000 is imposed on the vehicle owner for allowing unauthorised person to drive/ride his/her vehicle. Further a report is sent to the concerned Assistant Director of Transport (ADT) for cancellation of the registration of the motor vehicle used by the minor in commission of the offence and the said minor will be not be eligible o obtain learner’s licence or a driving licence until he/she attains the age of 25 years.
