Highway police don’t have powers to book drunk drivers

Despite an increase in drink-driving cases in the state, the highway police do not have powers to book offenders caught in an inebriated state.

Despite an increase in drink-driving cases in the state, the highway police do not have powers to book offenders caught in an inebriated state.

The highway police, formed in the state in 1993, patrol 12 national highways and 291 state highways, which covers around 33,165km. However, the agency has no authority to independently take action against drunk drivers.

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A senior official of the highway police told HT that their request to the state to give them the authority to register cases of drink driving was still pending.

According to the official, though the highway police have breath analysers to check for drunk drivers, they need the local police to conduct the tests. “We can’t even lodge a drink-driving case independently,” the official said.

“Earlier, the department did not have powers even to prosecute under the Motor Vehicles Act. But in a government resolution dated August 4, 2009, it was given power to make cases under the Act on the state and the national highways,” he added.