PANAJI
As per the SC directions issued to all the union territories and states, offences which can attract suspension of driving license for not less than three months include overspeeding, red light jumping, carrying persons in goods carriages, driving vehicles under the influence of drink and drugs and using mobile phone while driving a vehicle.
Marking an exponential rise over the 97 reports forwarded in 2015 seeking suspension of licenses, Goa traffic police department in 2016 forwarded a whopping 8,160 reports to the department of transport in 2016 for suspension of driving licenses under five categories of offences under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.
The steep rise in these figures has resulted from adherence to the guidelines laid down towards the end of 2015 by the Supreme Court committee on road safety, informed the sources from traffic police department.
In 2016, of the 8,160 licenses recommended by the traffic cops to transport department for suspension, around 2,716 were reported for transporting persons in goods carriage; 2,233 for maneuvering vehicles under the influence of alcohol; 1,616 for overspeeding; 1,314 for using mobile phones while driving or riding a vehicle and 281 for jumping a red light.
The trend appears to have held ground this year as well with 570 licenses being marked by the 14 traffic cells across Goa to the state transport department for suspension during the month and half from January 1 to February 15. Of these, over 300 booked for driving under the influence of alcohol followed by around 200 licenses for using mobile phone while operating vehicles.
As per the procedure laid down by the MV Act, traffic cells concerned report such licenses to the transport department directly upon registration of the offences.
