Repeat traffic offenders in Delhi may lose drivers’ licences

The traffic police also requested the transport department to cancel the licence of motorists who have been prosecuted for other violations of traffic rules on five instances in the national capital

The Delhi Traffic Police on Monday recommended the cancellation of driving licences of habitual violators, who have committed three or more serious traffic violations covered under sections 184 and 185 of the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act, according to a letter sent to the Delhi transport department.

The MV Act, enacted in 1988, was amended in 2019 to increase the fine levy from around ₹100 for most offences to ₹500- ₹20,000 at present. (Representative photo/HT Archive)

The traffic police also requested the transport department to cancel the licence of motorists who have been prosecuted for other violations of traffic rules on five instances in the national capital, senior traffic police officers aware of the matter said.

Special commissioner of police (traffic) Ajay Chaudhary said that the decision to seek the transport department’s nod for cancellation of the driving licence of repeat traffic violators was taken in view of traffic challans that showed that such habitual violators were in millions. Also, an analysis of road crash data showed that many such mishaps were caused due to traffic violations, such as drink driving, driving against the flow of traffic, overspeeding, and jumping red lights.

Chaudhary said that to curb such offences, the MV Act, enacted in 1988, was amended in 2019 to increase the fine levy from around ₹100 for most offences to ₹500- ₹20,000 at present.

“However, our analysis of traffic challans shows that a fair number of drivers are habitually violating the traffic rules. Such violators are a serious threat to other road users, resulting in road accidents that have seen an increasing trend in the past three-four years. Keeping in view such facts, we have written to the transport department to cancel the licence of repeat traffic violators,” said Chaudhary.

The transport department did not respond to requests for comment.

The request letter, a copy of which is with HT, was sent to the secretary-cum-commissioner of the Delhi transport department by Chaudhary on December 20. The transport department has acknowledged the recommendations of the traffic police, and its officials are in the process of formulating guidelines to implement the deterrent action intended at reducing serious traffic violations that lead to fatal, as well as simple road crashes in the city, at least two senior traffic police officers aware of the matter said.

According to traffic police data, 1,431 people were killed and 5,030 others were injured in 5,416 road crashes, including 1,398 fatal accidents, till December 15, 2024.

In 2023, 5,834 road crashes claimed 1,457 lives and left 5,470 injured. The number of road accidents reported in 2022 was 5,652, with 1,461 fatalities and 5,201 injuries.

Additional commissioner of police (traffic) Dinesh Kumar Gupta said, “The transport department is likely to implement our recommendations soon. Once implemented, we would start sending them details of repeat traffic violators for cancellation of their licence. The move will lead to discipline among motorists who disobey the traffic norms. It will also act as a deterrence against such violators.”

According to the Delhi Traffic Police website, Section 184 of the MV Act deals with the penalties for dangerous driving and seven different violations come under it: violation of a stop signal, jumping a red light, wrong passing or overtaking other vehicles, carrying a passenger on goods vehicle, use of hand-held communication devices while driving, driving dangerously, and driving against the authorised flow of traffic. The MV Act’s Section 185 covers drink driving.