OPINION: Stringent punishment for drunken driving

Today, it is the dire need to have stringent punishment for drunk driving in our country.

It has been most unfortunate to witness the ongoing road accidents due to drunken driving, leading to several causalities and deaths, as majority of people know that causing death by negligence covered in section 304-A IPC is a very lenient and above all a bailable offence so errant drivers continue to take human life for granted on road in our country.  In the light of what is visible to the public eye, the crisis is aggravating at the cost of many valuable lives on road accidents due to rash and drunk driving is due to absence of an action plan to curb lawlessness on roads. 

In addition, alcohol outlets along the GT roads and the absence of routine checks by highway patrols encourage drunken driving and add to consequent disasters having in mind that they will speed and even kill in the knowledge that nobody will charge them with stringent punishment. Why not the Police authorities depute special task force on atleast highways to have a serious check on drunk drive cases and they need to bring on record who so ever is found guilty. 

Even the Honoble Supreme Court  had last year pronounced a judgment by the in the case of Alister Anthony Pareira, where it was suggested that law makers should reform the sentencing policy with serious nature and with section 304-II providing atleast ten year jail term as punishment can be  an alarm for such elements.

Even the the commons themselves should avoid driving if they have consumed alcohol, keeping in mind the value of human life.  

Hence it is the need of hour for the concerned authorities to constitute stringent provisions of law for drunk driving, enabling the drivers to have fear of stringent punishments under the provisions of law while driving as discipline on roads rather the relevant  authorities also need to have clear obligation to adopt and carry out measures towards traffic safety on roads to avoid deaths on roads with our country.

(The Author is an Advocate & Former Additional Advocate General, Punjab.)