Habitual Traffic Offenders Can Now Be 'Named And Shamed', In Effort To Promote Responsibility

Now habitual traffic offenders can be 'named and shamed' in public along with having their licenses revoked.

The Centre has modified the Central Motor Vehicle Rules to include a provision wherein repeat offenders for certain violations such as drunk driving, speeding, dangerous driving, not wearing helmets will find their names among a list of other offenders.

State transport departments can display this list on their portals.
According to the road transport Ministry, now, repeat offenders of traffic offences like drunk driving, speeding, racing, dangerous driving and even not wearing helmets face the risk of not only being disqualified to hold the driving licence (DL) but also finding their names with DL numbers in the list of those whose licenses are revoked.

The state transport departments can put such a list of persons on their portals, which people can see, according to the modified Central Motor Vehicle Rules.

Sources said the enabling provision to “name and shame” repeat offenders who pose a risk to their lives and that of other road users has been made to promote responsible driving.

However, such names can be made public, only if the offender doesn’t go for an appeal within a month after disqualification to hold a DL or the appellate authority dismisses his/ her appeal.

The Ministry has notified a set of modified rules, which have come into effect from April 1. These include a provision to allow registration of vehicles with alterations, retrofitment and adapted vehicles where such changes have been made after permission from the transport authorities concerned.

Such vehicles can be insured, something which was not allowed earlier.
This procedure for putting names of repeat offenders for some specific traffic offences has been made to ensure that there is no breach of privacy and the process of appeal against charges of traffic rule violations are duly followed before putting names of repeat offenders in the list, according to the Ministry.

The transport departments will create a separate section in their portal named “Revocation of Driving License under sub-section (1A) of section 19 of the Act” which will be in a machine-readable electronic, printable and shareable pdf form, for access by the general public.

The new changes in the rules will also make it convenient for people to avail of transport-related services as the system will be online; starting from filing application and issuance of learner’s licence to submission of medical certificate and surrender and renewal of DL.

The Centre has also done away with the minimum educational qualification for obtaining DL for commercial vehicles and this has been replaced with the mandatory requirement of “minimum training and language comprehension."