PUNE: Talking on the mobile phone while driving accounts for the highest number of licence suspensions by the Regional Transport Office (RTO) in Pune. Around 38.6 per cent of all licences sent for suspension by the traffic police personnel - apart from those fined on road - are of those who were talking on their mobile phones while driving the vehicle. This includes those who use headphones to communicate while driving.
A total of 2,847 driving licences were sent to RTO for offences ranging from driving rashly or neglecting traffic rules, driving under influence of alcohol and other serious traffic violations from January to December 2018.
Suspension ranges from 10 days to six months on the request of the traffic police.
As per the Regional Transport Office (RTO), licences of 1,104 drivers/ riders were suspended for three months after being caught while talking on mobile phones while driving.
Apart from this, 982 drivers/ riders’ licences were suspended due to signal jumping or lane cutting
Around 10 per cent of these were caught on highways/ Expressway for lane cutting.
“The number of licences suspended is increasing nowadays. The suspension takes place only after the recommendation of the traffic police. Three months’ suspension is for rash driving, over speeding, mobile talking, signal jumping, lane cutting, overload in good carriage and carrying passengers in goods vehicles. When the driver/ riders are caught while drunk and driving, the suspension is for six months. Whether they pay the challan or not, if the traffic police recommend, we suspend the licence,” said Deputy RTO Sanjay Raut.
Only six goods vehicle drivers’ licences were suspended for carrying passengers.
