Cops want 5-yr jail term for drunk drivers who kill

Drink driving may lead to cancellation of your licence, and if you kill someone while driving in an inebriated state, it could land you in jail for five years.

Drink driving may lead to cancellation of your licence, and if you kill someone while driving in an inebriated state, it could land you in jail for five years.

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Delhi police have proposed the induction of a new section in Indian Penal Code to deal with cases of fatal accidents caused by drink driving. The new section, 304 C, has proposed punishment of up to five years and a penalty for the driver causing the accident under the influence of alcohol.

“The union ministry of home affairs had suggested the increase in the quantum of punishment for causing death due to negligence from the current two years’ imprisonment to seven years behind the bars. But we found that in many cases fatal accidents also happen due to the victim’s fault or due to reasons beyond the control of the person behind the wheel,” said a senior traffic police officer requesting anonymity.

In fact, the parliamentary standing committee on transport, tourism and culture, headed by Sitaram Yechury, had recommended that the government amend the necessary legislations to include death due to drunken driving as culpable homicide not amounting to murder, for which a person can be sentenced to life imprisonment.

The police have also proposed an increase in the quantum of punishment for causing death due to rash and negligent driving to three years.

The traffic police said that they were in favour of imprisonment up to three years only in case of fatal accidents caused merely by negligence.

According to World health organisation, 40 per cent of the fatalities on the roads are caused due to drunken driving.