By IANS,
Pune: To curb road accidents caused by drunken driving, the Maharashtra government will seek to change laws and permanently cancel the driving licences of inebriated drivers, Home Minister R.R. Patil said here Saturday.
Speaking at a Road Safety Week valedictory function here, Patil said that despite all types of awareness and other punitive measures, the instances of drunken driving have not come down in the state, especially in Mumbai.
Accordingly, the state government has decided to recommend an amendment to the Motor Vehicles Act and permanently cancel the driving licences of those caught driving under the influence of alcohol, he said.
The proposal would be shortly sent to the central government, he added.
The home minister added that last year (2010), over 57,000 instances of drunken driving were registered across the state, including 8,000 on Dec 31, the New Year’s eve.
Patil also urged motorists and members of the public to rush to the aid of victims of accidents on the roads and highways without worrying about the hassles of police or legal formalities.
He assured that all such people helping accident victims would be kept out of any police or legal formalities.
Also, those rendering such yeoman service would be honoured publicly by the governor every year, he added.