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The number of fatalities caused by road accidents in Chennai city has come down due to the intense crackdown against those who drink and drive, the city police have said.
According to police figures, at least 525 people lost their lives in road accidents in the city between January 1 and May 6 last year (2012), while the death toll during the same period this year was only 450.
In the past 45 days, driving licences of about 1,035 people booked for drunken charges have been suspended, while another 1,485 people could also have their licences suspended by the regional transport officers (RTO) concerned.
Since March 23 this year (2013), 7,634 drunken driving cases have been registered in the city. And 3,451 of those involved in these cases, investigating officers found, did not have a driving licence.
A senior police officer in the chennai city said, "There is certainly a link between drunken driving and the number of accidents. As we intensified the drive against such driving, the number of deaths in road accidents has come down."
A traffic police officer admitted that they did not have a proper study to arrive at this conclusion and so "we can not boast about this". According to the number of fatal accidents, he said, it was clear that about 85 lives had been saved by the efforts of the traffic police.
"In spite of the increasing number of vehicles hitting the road every day, we have been managing the traffic and making efforts to bring down the number of accidents," he said.
Those who drive after consuming alcohol not only create problems for themselves but also put other road users at great risk, police said adding that about 2,455 people booked on drunk driving charges in the last 45 days did not have a driving licence.
Police confiscated 260 cars, 100 autorickshaws, 1,285 bikes and 90 other vehicles from those caught for drunk driving during this period.
Src: TOI
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