Don’t Violate Traffic Rules, Hefty Fines Await You From September 1

Do you often break traffic rules? If yes, then you should stop doing so or else be ready to pay hefty fine. Yes, you read it right. From September 1 onwards, you will have to pay hefty fines for violating traffic regulations. Notably, the provisions of the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act 2019 will come into effect from the very first day of the next month. 

 According to the notification of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act 2019 which include heavy monetary penalties for not abiding by the traffic rules will come into effect from September 1, 2019. As many as 63 clauses of the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act 2019 will come into effect.  

It is worth mentioning here that the government aims to improve road safety through new provisions. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has pointed out in the past that roughly 1.5 lakh people are killed in road accidents every year in India. 

Under the Motor Vehicles Amendment Act 2019, for driving without a license, there will be a fine of Rs 5,000. Earlier, Rs 500 was the fine. The penalty for driving despite disqualification has been increased from Rs 500 to Rs 10,000. For travelling without a ticket, the fine has been increased from Rs 200 to Rs 500.  

On the other hand, the penalty for over-speeding will be between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000 for the light motor vehicles, while medium passenger or goods vehicles will have to pay between Rs 2,000 and Rs 4,000, respectively with impounding of driving license for a second or subsequent offence.  

In the case of drink and drive, the penalty has been increased to imprisonment up to 6 months and/or fine up to Rs 10,000 for the first offence and imprisonment up to 2 years and/or fine of Rs 15,000 for the second offence.  

For acquiring a learners license, the applicants can apply to any licensing authority in the state. The licensing authority will be allowed to issue driving licenses for adapted vehicles. The minimum educational qualification to drive a transport vehicle has also been removed.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Motor Vehicles Amendment Act 2019 will come into effect from September 1, 2019. 
• Hefty fines to be imposed for violating traffic regulations.
• Government aims to improve road safety through new provisions.