Says it’s difficult to suspend licences of erring drivers carrying photocopies

The State government on Friday told the Madras High Court that it had decided to make it compulsory for motorists to carry their original driving licences since it becomes difficult to suspend or cancel the licences of those who cause road accidents.

Reducing accidents

In response to a couple of cases filed against the rule that insists on carrying original licences, Transport Commissioner Dayanand Kataria said the government’s move was aimed towards ensuring road safety and reducing the number of accidents which had been on the rise year after year.

The Commissioner said that 1,05,091 people had died and 5,12,292 had suffered injuries in 3,80,452 road accidents that had taken place in the State between 2011 and July this year.

As many as 5,83,210 cases of traffic violation had been booked between January and July this year and the figure included 1,79,230 cases of drunk driving.

Further, pointing out that around ₹60 crore had been paid as compensation to road accident victims during the last financial year, the officer said that the State government was allocating about ₹65 crore for road safety measures every year. He stated that additionally ₹2 crore was being spent annually to conduct road safety awareness programmes.

A Supreme Court-appointed committee on road safety too had recommended suspension or cancellation of driving licences of those involved in road accidents.

Though the insistence on carrying original driving licence may cause some inconvenience, people would have to bear it in the larger interest of ensuring road safety, he added.