It is of utmost importance that one drives according to the traffic rules in India. Traffic rules are created to ensure safety and to decrease the number of accident in the country.
Some reasons which have led to more accidents on Indian roads are:
- Acute lack of traffic sense
- Lack of knowledge of traffic rules
- Increasing population of vehicles
To reduce the chances of accidents and curb violation of traffic rules, The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 was created. Here are some of the common offences and their fines:
- Driving without Seatbelt – Fine has increased from Rs. 100 to Rs. 1000
- Driving without a Valid License – Proposed fine of Rs. 5000 and/or imprisonment for up to 3 months
- Vehicle without RC Book (Registration Certificate) – Rs. 2000
- Over speeding – Proposed fine of Rs. 1000 for Light Motor Vehicle and Rs. 2000 for Medium Passenger Vehicles.
- Driving under influence of Alcohol – Fine has increased from Rs. 2000 to Rs. 10,000
Traffic Rules in India
“U” Turns
Drivers are not supposed to make a “U” when a road sign prohibits making this turn.
Dangerous Materials
It is prohibited to carry illegal materials or materials which are deemed to be potentially dangerous.
Driving on mountain / steep roads
In case of narrow roads, drivers moving downhill are to make way for those moving uphill.
Emergency Vehicles
In case of an approaching emergency vehicle, drivers are to carefully move to the side of the road. This will make way for the emergency vehicle to pass.
Keeping Distance
Keep safe distance between two vehicles. This will reduce bumper to bumper accidents.
Honking
Honking is prohibited in “No Honking” zones. Using loud, multi-tone, or harsh sounds for horns is not allowed.
Indicators
Proper indicators are to be used before turning or passing. Swerving is strictly not allowed.
Intersections
Drivers should slow down at road corners, intersections, junctions or pedestrian crossings to avoid jeopardizing the safety of others.
Keep Left
Ply on the left side of the road in India.
Loading
Vehicles are not allowed to overload than the legal weight they can carry. Also, materials protruding outside of the vehicle are not allowed.
One Way Roads
The vehicle must ply in the direction of the indicated way.
Parking
Parking a vehicle in “No Parking” zone is prohibited. A vehicle must be parked in a way to avoid inconvenience to others.
Passing / overtaking
Vehicles should always pass/overtake from the right side of another vehicle.
Passing Pedestrians
Drive slowly while passing a procession, troops, police on the march or road repair workmen.
Passing Prohibited
Passing or overtaking can be dangerous and can cause accidents, thus it is highly important that the driver is careful while doing so. Passing is prohibited on turns and bends/curves. Passing should be avoided wherever the road ahead is not clearly visible.
Stop Lines
A vehicle should stop before the stop line painted at intersections or signals.
Tractor & Goods Carriages
Do not exceed the seating capacity of these vehicles.
Turning Left
It is advised to stay on the left side when you want to turn left. Sudden lane cutting could cause accidents.
Turning Right
It is advised to stay on the right side when you want to turn right. Sudden lane cutting could cause accidents.
New Deadline Set for Implementation of New Traffic Rules and Fines
– December 16, 2019
The state government of Goa has set a new deadline for the implementation of the New Motor Vehicle Act, 2019 traffic rules and fines for traffic offences in the state. The Transport Minister said that the amended vehicle Act will be implemented across the state by the end of January 2020. It was reported earlier that the new rules will come into effect from 1 January 2020; however, this has been deferred until the end of January. The minister also said that a review of road safety measures was taken and the Act will be implemented after putting required road safety measures such as the installation of signboards, speed limit, etc. He added that there is a proposal to reduce certain traffic fines, however, the final decision will be taken after the next cabinet meeting.
Goa State Cabinet to Decide on Revised Traffic Rules Today
– December 12, 2019
The Goa state cabinet will decide today on whether to revise traffic fines of certain violations before it is implemented in the state from 1 January 2020. The Transport Minister said that there is a proposal to slash fines for certain traffic rule violations and the cabinet will take the final call. However, he reiterated that fines for drunk driving will not be reduced. Several states in the country have implemented the New Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019 which came into effect from 1 September 2019, while some have reduced certain fines. New traffic fines are steep in order to curb traffic violations in the country.
To Escape Traffic Fines, Man Buys a Horse to Commute
– December 11, 2019
Afraid of steep traffic fines, a man from Odisha has come up with a unique idea to beat the traffic fines. He has purchased a horse to escape steep fines as well as to avoid high fuel prices. He also believes that through this he is contributing to the environment by riding a non-pollutant mode of travel. The New Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019 has steep fines for traffic violations in an effort to curb traffic violations in the country. While many states have implemented the new MV Act, others have either reduced the fine or customized so that it does not burden the common man.
Traffic Fines in Chandigarh No Reduced; Chooses Minimum Fine in Some Cases
– December 6, 2019
Offering the much-needed relief to commuters in Chandigarh, the administration has opted to impose a minimum fine for different traffic violations under the new Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019. Earlier, it had imposed the maximum fine listed under the same act which came into effect from 1 September 2019. However, offences such as driving without insurance, speeding/racing, driving without a licence, driving despite disqualification, unauthorised use of vehicles, not wearing a helmet or seat belt continue to attract stiff penalties in Chandigarh. The Central government implemented the new MV Act, 2019 in an effort to curb traffic violations and improve the safety of commuters.
More Than Rs.5 Crore Traffic Fine Collected From Violators During Traffic Awareness Week
– December 3, 2019
More than three lakh were issued traffic challans and mopped up fine over Rs.5 crore during the traffic awareness week. The Ghaziabad traffic police have a special drive every November to reduce the number of traffic violations and accidents. This year, the traffic police department and the RTOs organised traffic awareness seminars in schools and rallies in an effort to educate people about the significance of traffic rules and safety. More than 3 lakh traffic violators were issued challans and traffic fine of more than Rs.5 crore were collected. The traffic awareness month witnessed education programs and traffic awareness were conducted in more than 30 schools and about 50,000 students were taught about traffic awareness and safety.
Odisha Extends Enforcement of New MV Act by Another 3 Months
– November 30, 2019
The State government of Odisha has extended the enforcement of the new Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019 by 3 months amid huge rush in RTOs across the state. Transport Minister said that the Chief Minister of Odisha directed to extend the relaxation of the enforcement of new traffic rules by another 3 months. He added that this extension will be for the last time while continuing the drive against traffic violations in the state. Previously, the state government had deferred the implementation of the new traffic rules by 3 months, which was supposed to be effective from 1 September 2019.
Odisha Government to Implement New MV Act from 1 December 2019
– November 28, 2019
The Odisha government today said that there will be no more relief and the enforcement of the new Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019 will be implemented from 1 December 2019. The Chief Minister had relaxed the enforcement of the new traffic rules after concerns were raised over steep fines for three months. However, the rush in RTOs to get vehicle and driver’s documents is quite high despite the rule being relaxed for three months so that the public can complete the documentation process. However, the transport minister ruled further relaxation of the rule as its the duty of the state government to implement the Act for the safety of commuters.
– November 26, 2019
Deaths arising out of road accidents have declined by 9% in the last two months since the new Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019 was implemented. The new MV Act came into effect from 1 September 2019, since then, the country saw 3,375 deaths due to road accidents compared to 3,729 recorded during the same time last year. In Chandigarh, road accidents which have led to deaths have declined by about 75% compared to the same period last year, while it is 31%, 22% and 14% in Puducherry, Uttarakhand, and Gujarat, respectively. The new MV Act, 2019 brought in steeper fines for traffic violations to encourage commuters to adhere to traffic rules for safety as well as to streamline traffic on public roads.
MBA Student’s Innovative Traffic Management Brings Awareness About Road Safety
– November 20, 2019
An MBA student from Indore grabbed everyone’s attention with her unique and innovative way of managing traffic. Shubi Jain is pursuing her MBA in a management institute in Pune and has been volunteering to manage traffic in Indore for the past 15 days with her quirky and unique dance moves to bring awareness about road safety. She hails from Madhya Pradesh and is inspired by Ranjit Singh, the moonwalking traffic policeman, who has been urging commuters to wear a helmet while riding a two-wheeler and seat belt while driving a car. She said that she has been volunteering for the traffic police and she is inspired to more when people turn back and smile at her. She added that several people have come up to her and told her that they are wearing helmets and seat belts.
Odisha to Reintroduce Revised Motor Vehicles Act from 1 December
– November 18, 2019
The Odisha government is all set to reintroduce heftier traffic fines under the new Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act 2019 from 1 December 2019. Odisha transport minister informed that its the responsibility of the state government to ensure safe roads and enforce stricter penalties in the interest of the public. The fines will be as per the provisions of the new MV Act. The Odisha government had relaxed the enforcement of the new MV Act and fines for three months. The new MV Act came into effect from 1 September 2019. The transport minister said that the 3-month relaxation was provided as several people were not in a possession of documents such as DL and emission certificate.
Odd-Even Rule in Delhi Ends Today
– November 16, 2019
The odd-even rule in Delhi ended on Friday after imposing the rule in the backdrop of bad air quality in the national capital. Delhi Chief Minister said a decision to extend the rule will be taken up on 18 November 2019. The third edition of the rule was implemented from 4 November 2019 due to Delhi’s air quality touched “Severe” levels. During the days when the odd-even rule was imposed in Delhi, 4,885 violators were penalised; however, the number was much lower than the previous two editions. The fine for violations of the odd-even rule was fixed at Rs.4,000. The last editions witnessed 10,021 and 7,300 violations, respectively. The earlier fine was fixed at Rs.2,000, which was increased as per the new MV Act 2019.
Delhi Odd-Even Traffic Rule: 2,000 Additional Buses Have Been Deployed
– November 4, 2019
The state government of Delhi will implement the 12-day odd-even traffic rule in the Indian capital from Monday. The Delhi government has deployed 2,000 additional buses and metro trips have been increased by 61 to cater to commuters in Delhi. Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal has asked senior government officials to ensure that no persons face difficulties due to the implementation of the rule. Violators of the odd-even rule will invite a penalty of Rs.4,000. The earlier editions of the rule invited fine of Rs.2,000 for violations. The scheme is scheduled from 4 to 5 November 2019.
Traffic Fines in Kerala Reduced
– October 23, 2019
The Kerala government today announced a reduction in traffic fines. The cabinet of the Kerala government decided to cut fines for certain traffic violations under the New Motor Vehicle Act. The fine for using mobile while driving has been fixed at Rs.2,000, which ranged from Rs.1,000 and Rs.5,000 so far. The fine for overspeeding has been reduced to Rs.1,500 for the first-time offence for Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) and for heavy vehicles it has been fixed at Rs.3,000. If you are caught for not wearing a helmet or seat belt, the fine has been cut to Rs.500 from Rs.1,000, and the fine for overloading has been cut from Rs.20,000 to Rs.10,000. However, the fine for drunken driving will continue to attract Rs.10,000. The new Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019 came into effect from 1 September 2019 and traffic fines were increased sharply to reduce traffic violations.
– October 21, 2019
The New Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019 came into effect this September and traffic police are using creative ways to highlight the importance of adhering to traffic rules. Now, a video of a Chandigarh police has gone viral for the right reasons. In the video, the Chandigarh cop is seen singing his version of Daler Mehndi’s popular 1995 hit “Bolo Ta Ra Ra”, raising awareness about parking rules. The lyrics of the popular track was tweaked by the police as he warned commuters about the consequences of parking in the wrong place. Even as he sang the song, he asked citizens to park their vehicles at the right parking area. Singer Daler Mehndi responded to the rendition of his hit song through Twitter saying he’s glad that his popular track is used by the police to inspire citizens to follow traffic rules.
Sachin Tendulkar Joins Hands with Cricketing Legends for Road Safety World Series
– October 18, 2019
Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar along with other legends such as Virender Sehwag, Bret Lee, Brain Lara, Jhothy Rodes and Tillakaratne Dilshan will join hands once again to play cricket when they take part in the Road Safety World Series which is scheduled to be held in the country in 2020. The series will be an annual affair between five cricketing countries – India, South Africa, Australia, West Indies and Sri Lanka. The annual T20 tournament will witness the brilliance of the legends and will create awareness of road safety during the tournament. The aim of the series to bring awareness about social change in the country and people’s outlook towards road safety.
Delhi Odd-Even Rule: School Children Carrying Vehicle Exempted
– October 17, 2019
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today announced the details of the odd-even rule in the national capital. The Chief Minister said that the scheme, which will be implemented from 4th to 15th November 2019, would not apply to vehicles ferrying school children. However, the rule applies to all non-transport four-wheelers and vehicles arriving from other Indian states. Other exemption includes women-only buses or vehicles and vehicles used for hospital and medical emergencies adding that there will be no exemption for Delhi government ministers. Vehicles used by the President, Vice-President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice of India, Governors of states, Union Ministers, Leaders of Opposition of bother houses and Lok Sabha speakers would be exempted as well. The odd-even rule in Delhi will be implemented from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm and any violations of the rule will attract a fine of Rs.4,000.
DL and RC on DigiLocker and mParivahan at Par with Original Document
– September 25, 2019
The Road Transport Ministry said that driving license and vehicle registration certificate in electronic formats is at par with original documents. Both the DL and RC can be stored in DigiLocker and mParivahan mobile applications, which can be shown to the traffic police for verification. The Ministry added that if the documents are not stored in DigiLocker and mParivahan, they will not be at par with the original documents. The Central Motor Vehicles Rules were amended in November 2018, which enables documents such as driving license (DL), registration certificate (RC), fitness and permit, insurance, pollution under control (PUC) certificate to be accepted in electronic format.
Two-Wheeler Fined Rs.22,500 for Violating Traffic Rules in Odisha
– September 25, 2019
A two-wheeler commuter was fined a staggering Rs.22,500 for a number of traffic offences in Balangir district on Sunday. This comes after Odisha Chief Minister relaxed implementation of new traffic rules of the New Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019 in the state for three months. The biker was fined for traffic violations such as Rs.500 for general offence, Rs.5,000 for failing to produce his DL, Rs.2,000 for disobeying orders, Rs.5,000 for rash driving, and Rs.10,000 for riding under the influence of alcohol. The motorcyclist was detained by the traffic police and his vehicle was seized as he refused to pay the fine. The New MV (Amendment) Act, 2019 came into effect from 1 September 2019
Karnataka Government Slashes Fines For Traffic Violations in Bengaluru
– September 21, 2019
The Karnataka government today slashed the revised fines for traffic violations under the New Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act 2019 – introduced at the beginning of the month – owing to public pressure. This was announced through a notification by the Transport Department specifying the decreased fines for traffic violations which are applicable in cities like Bengaluru. Fines for not wearing a seatbelt and riders not wearing a helmet have been slashed from Rs.1,000 to Rs.500 while driving without a license was cut from Rs.5,000 to Rs.1,000 for two-wheelers and three-wheelers, and Rs.2,000 for four-wheelers. Other penalties such as overspeeding, driving under the influence of alcohol, and racing has been kept unchanged. The penalty for driving without insurance has been cut from Rs.2,000 to Rs.1,000 for two-wheelers, while the fine of Rs.2,000 for four-wheelers remains unchanged and heavy goods continue to attract Rs.4,000 for the violation.
Check: Updated List of Traffic Fines and Rules in Bengaluru
Check: Updated List of Traffic Fines and Rules in Bengaluru
You Could Be Fined Rs.20,000 If You Violate the Odd-Even Traffic Rule in Delhi
– September 21, 2019
The Delhi government decided to return to the odd-even rule from 4th November 2019. Any violation of this traffic rule will attract a penalty of Rs.20,000. This rule came into effect under the New Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act 2019 which has increased the fine by up to 10 times. The previous fine for violating the odd-even rule in Delhi was Rs.2,000. Under Section 115 of the new MV Act 2019, anyone found violating the odd-even rule is a traffic offence and leads to a fine of Rs.20,000 offering the state government to restrict the use of vehicles. The last time the Delhi government imposed the odd-even rule in the national capital was in January and April 2016 with the fine of Rs.2,000.
New Traffic Rules in Gujarat Kick-in from Today
– September 16, 2019
Reduced fines for traffic violations in Gujarat come into effect from today, a week after the Central Government announced new traffic rules that had provisions for steep penalties. The traffic police of Gujarat will be deployed at all major junctions to ensure motorists follow traffic rules. The police advised people to follow traffic norms, and they will not spare any offender, but at the same time not to draw motorists ire. People are advised to carry all required documents and, use safety gear such as helmets for two-wheeler commuters and the use of seat belt for four-wheeler commuters. Last week, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani had announced new penalties for traffic violations, reducing fines laid down in the New Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019 by up to 90%.
New Motor Vehicle (Amendment) Act, 2019 Effective from 1 September
– September 9, 2019
The Centre has implemented the new Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Act, 2019 which came into effect from 1 September 2019 with 63 clauses. The amended MV Act primarily focuses on some of the most common traffic violations across the country. The Union Government has amended the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988 to ensure road safety for all road users with a change in penalties, registration, driving license and the National Transport Policy. Among the changes are steeper fines for driving under the influence of alcohol or intoxicating substance which attracts 6 months imprisonment and/or fine of Rs.10,000 for the first-time offence, while the subsequent offence will attract imprisonment of 2 years and/or fine of Rs.15,000. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said that these 63 clauses do not require further amendments in the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989.
Union Transport Minister Says Steeper Traffic Fines Aimed at Curbing Road Accidents
– September 9, 2019
The Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways said that an intelligent traffic system does not differentiate between a union minister, bureaucrat, chief minister or a journalist while stressing on steeper fines for violations of traffic rules are aimed at curbing road accidents. He also said that if someone abides by the law, there is no need for fear of hefty challans. Mr Gadkari further added that strict rules were much-needed as people were not serious about traffic laws and there was no fear or respect for the law and that there are people who have never been fined even once as they follow traffic rules and questioned why others can’t abide by the rules. The Central Minister also urged people to take advantage of digital platforms such as mParivahan or DigiLocker to carry Registration Certificate, Driving License and other documents in an electronic form which are valid under the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988.