Safer Roads! Kerala Govt To Cancel Licences Of Motorists Driving Under Influence Of Drugs & Alcohol

The state of Kerala has worked toward the goal of being addiction-free for quite a while now. Addressing alcohol/drug/substance abuse as a growing menace in society, the government launched campaigns such as "Vimukthi," which tried to create awareness among the people, especially the youth. Under the collective fight against substance abuse, the government had now stepped up to adopt stringent road safety measures against those driving under substance influence.

State Goes Tough On Motorists

During a high-level meeting organised in connection with road safety, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan ordered officials to cancel the licence of those driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The order plays an important role in the efforts of the state government to wage war on the drug menace in the state. Officials have been directed accordingly to use the facilities of special vehicles to detect the increased levels of narcotics or alcohol among drivers. Strict action would be taken against those found violating the traffic rules, which includes cancellation of licenses. For this reason, patrolling around the state has been strengthened.

Making Roads Safer

The meeting also saw multiple other measures being adopted to keep a check on the menace of stunts done on bikes. Cyber police have been strengthened to look into this concern through the use of appropriate technology. The licence of repeated offenders of traffic rules would be cancelled accordingly. A report by The Hindu stated that Mr Vijayan has further directed speed governor inspections to be undertaken to ensure vehicles are driven within the prescribed speed limits. The meeting saw instructions being issued on these lines to utilise the benefits of modern technology, including artificial intelligence (AI) cameras, to make roads safer.

Among the many other measures adopted to ensure traffic violations are brought to a minimum, traffic engineering designs will be developed by giving emphasis on road safety. The Motor Vehicle Department (MVD) and police personnel have been told to ensure compliance with road safety regulations, while local self-government bodies have been directed to ensure street lights on roads. Furthermore, promotion campaigns on road safety will be intensified through public institutions such as schools and colleges. As a part of this, recommendations have been forwarded to include road safety in the higher secondary syllabus.

Also Read: National Road Safety Week 2022: List Of All Top-Performing Countries In Road Safety