Kerala: Five time traffic offenders may lose licence

Kochi: There are nearly 1300 cases under the Ernakulam Regional Transport Office alone where a traffic offender has repeatedly been booked five times or more. The shocking figures were out as the motor vehicle department (MVD) is preparing a list of repeated traffic offenders who have doled out challans five times or more so as to initiate license suspension measures against them as part implementing the Supreme Court Committee enforcement on road safety.

“We are looking for five-time or more repeated offenders who have been caught on our surveillance cameras since October. They would be summoned to a hearing, and if their reasoning is found unsatisfactory, their license would be impounded and released only after three months,” said Ernakulam regional transport officer P. H. Sadiq Ali. However, the RTOs are waiting for clarification as to whether the motorists concerned would be fined over and above impounding their license. The offences range from jumping red lights, over speeding, driving vehicles under the influence of alcohol and drugs, riding without helmets and seat belts.

“Apart from all these, overloading is a major offence that we’ll be considering. The goods carriers, especially Torres lorries, are a major violator. Often they carry twice the load but refuse to pay fine even if a notice is sent. Now all of them will face the music,” said another MVD official. “All details about the violators are stored on our computers. We’re attempting to find out those served with notices the maximum in connection with traffic offences,” said S. Ananthakrishnan, transport commissioner. Nearly 1.5 lakh people may lose their license for one month with the MVD deciding to enforce the SC initiative. The license of traffic rule offenders is being suspended for three months from May 27.