Reports state that in 2016 alone, as many as 28,006 people were prosecuted for drunk driving in the Capital. This week, Delhi Police will launch 'BarTalk,' their new campaign against drunk drivers.
Delhi Police has identified 40 bars and clubs around the Capital, where they plan to launch a brand new initiative. BarTalk, as the initiative is named, is an attempt to take control of the Capital’s rising drunk driving accidents, Times of India reports.
The initiative will use short videos and messages on LED screens warning people of the dangers of drunk driving and its detrimental consequences.
The messages are intended to act as a deterrent for people, to stop and think before they get behind the wheel after a night out drinking.
The 40 bars and clubs, located in Hauz Khas Village, Connaught Place, Nehru Place and KG Marg, were chosen based on their high monthly footfall and have already been fitted with the LED monitors.
According to reports, drunk driving in the Delhi has been on the rise. In 2016, a survey by Community Against Drunken Driving (CADD) claimed that of the 1,875 accident deaths in Delhi last year, nearly 70% were due to drunk driving. In 2016 alone, as many as 28,006 people were prosecuted for the offence in the city. The survey adds that drunk driving in the Capital is rising by almost 50 per cent annually, and the number of fatalities are on the rise too.
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Taxi drivers have also been included in the campaign to drive people home in the after hours. Taxis will be stationed near the pubs so that they can be easily flagged down; in case none are available on view, the contact numbers of drivers will be available to pub managers. With the campaign, Delhi Police hopes to breed a culture whereby people opt for a safer journey home instead of driving in a drunken state.
In recent years, the police department has taken pains to integrate its services with tech-driven tools and reach out to people in need. In 2015, Delhi Police launched ‘Himmat,’ an app for women to alert police, friends and family in case of any distressful situation. Though the first version did not gain much following, the app was relaunched last month with updated features.
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