Caught Driving Drunk? Get Set to Hold up a Placard at the Traffic Signal!

People caught driving drunk in Hyderabad will be required to go for three hours of community service, everyday for three days. They will stand at road junctions distributing pamphlets and displaying placards to spread awareness about road safety. 

While all drunk drivers in Bangalore will be have to watch a two hour long documentary highlighting the importance of road safety, those caught in Hyderabad will be doing community service.

It’s no longer about escaping traffic checks with a quick fine if you are caught driving drunk in Hyderabad. Under the newly introduced punishment, those who are caught will have to stand at road junctions distributing pamphlets and holding placards, in order to spread awareness about road safety.

This will need to be done for three hours every day for three days. Violators will also need to pay a fine of Rs. 2,000 along with the service.

Photo Credit: Flickr

“People were scared all this while to drink and drive because they might land in prison. They feel that their future might get spoilt if this happens. Even if somebody went to prison nobody knew about it unlike this one. Imagine, a person from well-to-do family actually standing near junction with a placard. This is more about embarrassing them so that they would not repeat the offence again,” said a senior Hyderabad traffic police official.

The third and fourth Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Erramanzil, Hyderabad, sentenced around 36 people to community service, who were caught with slightly high levels of blood alcohol content on Tuesday this week. After being sentenced, they were taken to the Public Garden rotary near Traffic Control Room, where they have to hold placards, and assist traffic officials at the junction. These placards carry messages on topics like drunk driving, wearing helmets, speeding and more. Traffic officials can also take the violators to the government hospitals where they will be required to take up tasks assigned by the supervisor. Around 20 others were sentenced to sit in court for an entire day (detained till rising of court).

Those with high alcohol content, face up to 30 days in jail.

“Through social service, they will realise their mistake and also help spread the message that drunken driving is not safe for the rider as well as for those on the streets,” said the additional commissioner (Traffic).

So the next time you think it is a short distance home and you are only slightly drunk, make sure you call a cab instead of driving yourself.

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