Drink and Drive Fine in Goa

Yes. Similar to other states of the country, drinking and driving is illegal in Goa.

As per Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or any other substance is a punishable offence.

If any individual is found driving or riding in a drunken state, he/she will be issued a challan immediately. Depending on the seriousness of the situation, they might also be taken into custody for further punishment.

Goa receives a huge influx of tourists for most part of the year. To explore the beaches and other sightseeing points, a majority of tourists prefer renting cars and bikes, as it is a lot cheaper and convenient than hiring cabs.

• As a matter of fact, a majority of drunk and drive cases are due to these rented vehicles and the drunk tourists driving/riding them.

• In order to control this situation, the traffic police keep patrolling the tourist areas and public roads in Goa. Recently, the Goa police has also started surprise checks for drinking and driving cases.

• It means, you never know when your vehicle is stopped and checked by the Goan police.

• In addition, the regular BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) is also carried out on those who are suspected of driving in a drunken state. For this test, the suspect is asked to blow into a machine called a breath analyser, which displays the amount of alcohol present in the blood.

• If the total value goes beyond 30mg per 100 ml of your blood, then you will be proven guilty of drinking and driving and penalised accordingly.

As per the Traffic Department of Goa, if anyone is found driving in an intoxicated state, they will be levied a penalty of ₹10,000, or imprisonment of 6 months, or both.

Apart from this, the police may also capture your driving licence and vehicle, depending on the case.

Also note that the drink-and-drive fines and penalties for all motor vehicles, such as two-wheelers, four-wheelers, and commercial/transport motor vehicles, are constant.

In case you have received a drink and drive challan in Goa, you can pay it either online or offline. Below is a step-by-step procedure for both methods:

• Pay Drink and Drive Challan in Goa Online

• Go to the official Parivahan eChallan portal.

• From the top-right of your screen, click on “Pay Online”.

• Enter your challan number and fill in the captcha verification code displayed on the screen. If you don’t have the challan number, you can also enter your vehicle number or DL number.

• Click “Get Details”.

• You can pay for the drink-and-drive challan by selecting your preferred mode of payment.

• Once you've done this, remember to download the payment receipt, which you can use as a future reference.

• Pay Drink and Drive Challan in Goa Offline

• If you are unable to proceed with the drink and drive fine in Goa payment online, then you can easily do the same offline by visiting the nearest traffic police station or RTO office in your locality.

• All you need to do is visit the traffic police station along with your driving licence, challan, and vehicle RC and make the payment at the designated counter.

• You can pay for the drink-and-drive challan in cash or using any payment method, such as a card, UPI, netbanking, etc.

The following are some useful tips that will help you stay safe and avoid the hefty drink and drive fine in Goa:**

Use Public Transportation: This is perhaps the best way to enjoy and avoid fines while also ensuring your safety. Whenever you need to head out after consuming alcohol, consider using public transportation options such as cabs and buses. To keep track of time and prevent excessive drinking, you can even pre-book your taxi or cab on the desired date.

Have a Sober Driver: There is always someone in the group who is a teetotaler but still joins the drinking party of his friends or colleagues. If you have a personal vehicle, then ask the sober person in your group to drop you at your location.

Stay Within Limits: While drinking alcohol provides you with temporary joy, it is injurious to your health. So, whether you are at home or a party, know your limits and stay within them.

Drink at Your Accommodation: This is another way to avoid drinking and driving fines in Goa. If you are a tourist, consider drinking at your home or accommodation instead of places away from your location.

Stay Overnight: You can always consider the option of staying overnight if you are drunk and partying at someone’s place. If you are the host, then make overnight stay arrangements for your friends or colleagues and encourage them to stay if they are drunk.

Other Tips to Avoid Traffic Challans in Goa

Apart from drink and drive challan, there are many other traffic offences that may attract serious fines and penalties. Some of these are mentioned below:**

Carry Necessary Documents: Whether you are a local or tourist in Goa, you must adhere to the traffic regulations in your area. Most important out of all is carrying the mandatory documents like driving licence, insurance for 2-wheeler/4-wheeler, vehicle RC, PUC, etc.

Rent from Reliable Providers: This tip is especially for tourists who prefer to rent scooters, bikes, or cars in Goa. Always rent from a trusted and reliable rental service provider.

Obey the Traffic Rules: Above everything else, always follow the traffic laws and regulations. This will keep you, as well as the non-drivers on the road, safe.

Driving in an intoxicated state is a serious traffic offence that not only attracts heavy fines and punishment but also risks the lives of the driver and other road users.

For these reasons, always drive responsibly and follow the above-mentioned tips to avoid a drink-and-drive fine in Goa.

Additionally, if you are still driving an uninsured vehicle, you should purchase a suitable four or two-wheeler insurance policy.

Similar to the drink-and-drive challan in Goa, driving an uninsured vehicle will immediately attract an eChallan of up to ₹2,000.

Besides helping to meet traffic regulations, having motor insurance from Tata AIG can help you deal with unforeseen events, such as road accidents, third-party liabilities, etc., with financial and legal preparedness.

We offer customised car and bike insurance policies at pocket-friendly premiums. So, compare two-wheeler insurance policies or other motor insurance plans and get yourself suitable insurance coverage.

Contact us Today!