Drink and Drive Fine in India

Yes, as per the drink and drive law in India, drinking and driving is a punishable offence. According to the Motor Vehicle Act, 2019’s Section 185, driving or riding a bike under drugs or alcohol is a criminal offence. If you are found doing the same, you will be charged with a drink and drive fine by the traffic police.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau’s report, drunk driving has led to more than 38,000 road accidents in India between 2018 & 2020. Also, in 2019 alone, almost 3000 people died in road accidents, and more than 6500 were severely injured.

If you are ever caught suspected of drunk driving in India, you will be asked to take a BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) test by the traffic police. You will also have to blow into a breath analyser by them, and if the total value exceeds 30 mg per 100 ml of blood, you will be proven guilty of drunk driving and punished for the same.

However, one thing you must keep in mind here is that you can, in no way, refuse to take the breath analyser test. This could lead to pretty serious consequences. So, if the traffic police suspect you of drunk driving, they can also suspend your licence and arrest you without showing any warrant whatsoever.

You will then be taken to the nearest police station or hospital for a blood test. They will also issue a drink and drive challan against you for putting your own life and the lives of the passersby at risk.

For first-time offenders, the punishment consists of a traffic drink n drive fine of up to ₹10,000. This new price was implemented in 2019, and before that, the drunk driving fine was ₹2000. For repeated offenders or second-time offenders, there could be imprisonment of nearly 2 years and/or a drink driving fine of around ₹15,000. In addition, they can also face severe penalties related to their driving licences.

[Note - The drunk and drive fine for two-wheelers, cars, three-wheelers, or commercial vehicles are the same.]

You can pay the drink n drive fine either offline or online. Here are the processes to pay traffic fines if you ever get a challan from the traffic police for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs –

• For Paying the Drunk Driving Fine Online

• Go to the official website of the nearby State’s Transport Department;

• Click on the “payment of e-challan” tab or click on the tab “traffic violation payment”;

• Fill in your vehicle number and/or drink and drive challan number. Put the required captcha code as shown on the screen;

• Select one of the online payment modes and pay the fine with a debit or credit card, through UPI or e-wallets;

• Once the payment is made, you will get a message of confirmation of your payment. You will also receive the receipt of the same on your registered mobile number.

• For Paying the Drunk Driving Fine Offline

If you are not comfortable paying the drink and driving fee online, you can pay a visit to the nearest police station. You will be asked to show the challan, and they will let you know the total amount you are liable to pay as a fine. The amount will be totally based upon the seriousness of the violation. Once you make the payment, you will get the receipt from the police station.

You must always remember that driving while drunk means you are breaking the law. And hence, if caught, you would be punished. So, if you think that you will be drinking, make sure you follow these steps to stay away from the hassles of the law –

• Do not drive if you are drunk. Instead, ask a friend or someone else to drive you back home.
• If everybody else is drunk, the best thing you can do is book a ride to go wherever you want to go.
• If you are going out with a group, pick a designated person who will not drink, and let him drive.
• If you know beforehand that you will have to drink, leave your car home! This way, there will be no question of drinking and driving and then getting caught by the police!
• If you find someone from the group taking out their car to drive under the influence of alcohol, stop them by taking the keys away. This way, you can save them and others from any impending accidents.

Finally, by keeping the above pointers in mind, we think it should not be a problem for you to avoid drinking and driving from now on. To repeat again, follow safe driving practices. Wear your seatbelt if you are driving, wear a helmet if you are riding a bike, and do not forget to opt for long-term two-wheeler insurance or car insurance from Tata AIG as soon as you buy a bike or a car in India. We have some of the most affordable insurance policies online that offer unmatched coverage options.

Drink responsibly and drive safe, always!