The Hyderabad traffic police has come up with an innovative method to handle drunken drivers in the city. It is no more just a routine booking of case and production before court. Drunken drivers now have to compulsorily attend a counselling session. During the drive against drunken driving conducted by the Hyderabad traffic police, nearly 285 cases of drunken driving including that of a women driver were booked. The police also also tried out detailed counseling sessions during which video films on drunken driving and other traffic violations were shown.
Additional commissioner of police (traffic) C.V. Anand said that the experiment was a success, and some offenders returned with feedback. He also said that the wives of some offenders called the police and told them that their husbands had given up drunken driving. Based on this success, the traffic police has now made it mandatory for drunken drivers to attend the Traffic Training Institutes at Goshamahal and Begumpet and undergo detailed counselling.
Those, who attend the counselling session, have their challans stamped at the Traffic Training Institute, certifying that they have attended the counselling session. After this the offenders are produced before the magistrate, where they are fined anywhere between Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000. After the fine is paid, they have to come back to the concerned Police Station and collect their vehicle.