Heavier Fines, Naming & Shaming of Offenders from Today as New Traffic Violation Norms Take Effect

New Delhi: Stringent rules and regulations, incorporated under the Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which was cleared by both Houses of the Parliament last month, will come into force across the country Sunday onwards. The new law enables traffic personnel to slap violators with higher penalties and cancel their driving licenses.

What the new norms mean

1. Traffic officials will be allowed to put names of repeat offenders who violate traffic rules like jumping red signal, using mobile phone while driving, drunk driving, racing or blocking the way of emergency vehicles in public domain.

2. Fine for driving without a licence has been hiked from Rs. 500 to Rs. 5,000. For driving despite disqualification, it has been raised from Rs. 500 to Rs. 10,000.

3. The repeated offenders will be fined with higher penalties besides facing the risk of going to jail.

4. Penalty between Rs. 1,000- Rs. 2,000 for overspeeding. The penalty has been increased from Rs. 400 to Rs. 1,000 for light motor vehicles and Rs. 2,000 for medium passenger vehicles.

5. Drivers will be fined Rs. 10,000 for not giving way to emergency vehicles. Taxi aggregators violating driving licences will be fined up to Rs. 1 lakh.

6. Those driving without a seat-belt will be fined Rs. 1,000, which was earlier Rs. 100.

7. Union Minister had said that an "intelligent traffic system" will monitor offences. Common traffic offences such as the use of mobiles, jumping traffic lights and driving on the wrong lane will be categorised as "dangerous driving".

8. A fine of Rs. 2,000 will be charged for driving without insurance. Those driving without helmets will have to shell out Rs. 1,000 and can face three-month suspension of their licence.

9. The guardian or owner of the vehicle will be held guilty in case a of a road offence is committed by underage drivers. The penalty will be Rs. 25,000 along with three years in jail and the registration will be cancelled.

10. Overloading of vehicles will draw a penalty of Rs. 20,000.

11. Nitin Gadkari said the process of making a driver's license would be computerised and anyone - from a minister to parliamentarian- would get their license only after passing online tests.

12. The driving licences (DLs) of repeated offender may also be cancelled in certain cases.