Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (MS)
Mangaluru, Sep 15: Police in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts are enforcing the suspension of driving licenses as traffic violations continue to rise.
Over 1,000 licenses have been suspended in the past year. Police have the authority to recommend license suspension to the Regional Transport Office (RTO) for any traffic violation. The most common offences include drunk driving, accidents resulting in deaths, overspeeding, negligent driving, driving in the wrong direction on one-way roads, and repeated traffic rule violations.
The suspension period varies depending on the severity of the violation, with a minimum of one month and a maximum of six months. The RTO issues a notice based on the police recommendation and then suspends the license.
In 2023, Mangaluru police commissionerate recommended the suspension of 1,400 driving licenses, while 900 licenses were recommended for suspension by August 2024. In the jurisdiction of Dakshina Kannada police, 285 licenses were recommended for suspension in 2023, with 197 recommended by August 2024.
In Udupi district, police recommended the suspension of 188 licenses in 2023, all of which were suspended. By June 2024, 92 licenses were recommended for suspension, with 89 already suspended.
Under Mangaluru RTO limits, 456 licenses were suspended in 2021-22, 225 in 2022-23, and 90 in 2023-24. Of these, 62 suspensions were for drunk driving. There are still 1,150 pending cases for suspension. In Puttur RTO limits, 127 licenses were suspended in 2023-24, and 50 were suspended by August 2024, with 110 more pending. In Bantwal, 125 licenses were suspended in 2023-24, and 53 have been suspended so far in the 2024-25 fiscal year.