Panaji, Oct 24 (IANS): Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday warned those driving under the influence of alcohol and said the owners of ‘rent a car or a bike’ will be arrested along with drivers involved in accidents killing people on the road.

Sawant was referring to some accidents that took place in the state involving rent-a-cars service which was taken by tourists visiting the coastal state.

“Now a day’s accidents are taking place due to people failing to follow traffic rules. Recently Rent-a-car met with an accident because the driver was under the influence of alcohol. These types of accidents are taking place due to rash and rough driving. Hence transport and police departments will have to act on such cases,” Sawant said during a programme in North Goa.

He said that in future the owner of rented car or bike will be arrested along with the one who takes it for rent if found involved in an accident killing other persons.

“Hence those who give their cars or bikes for rent they will have to tell ‘takers’ (tourists)not to drink and drive. We are working on modalities to arrest the owner of the rental car or bike if its driver is involved in killing people on the road due to an accident,” Sawant said.

“Some have a habit that when police act, they feel that it is being done for collecting money through fines. We don’t want your money, but to bring discipline on roads we will have to act. If we don’t act on traffic rule breakers they will get involved in accidents killing people. We don’t want such things to happen,” he said.

He said that those who rent a car or bike, flee from the state after the accidents take place, and they also deposit incorrect Identification documents while availing service.

Sawant said that since 2014 the Goa government is creating infrastructure, which helps people to cut travel time from one place to another.“This also results in people seen driving at full speed, but traffic rules should be followed,” he said.