Aurangabad: Motorists caught using their cell phone while driving, jumping a traffic signal or those caught driving in an inebriated form are set to get their driving license suspended for a period of not less than three months.The Additional Director General (traffic) has issued directives in this regard to all the police units across the state. The directive asks police units to send maximum number of cases to their respective Regional Transport Office (RTO) recommending suspension of driving licenses in case motorists are caught violating traffic norms.Moreover, instructions have also been passed on to chiefs of police stations as well as the highway police for initiating action and to send a weekly report to the central government’s Road Safety Committee (RSC), which is headed by retired Supreme Court Justice KS Radhakrushnan.The communication cites the government resolution (GR) issued on December 31, 2015, by the state home department asking the police to recommend maximum number of traffic violators’ driving licenses for suspension.Despite nearly three years having passed, the GR was rarely acted upon by the police units in the state, largely due to lack of awareness about it.The latest move is aimed at bringing a check on the ever-increasing number of fatal road accidents in the state. The authorities have set a goal of bringing down the number of fatal accidents by 10 per cent.The communication cites the recent meeting of RSC, held in New Delhi on November 12 and attended by representatives from all states and union territories. Maharashtra’s chief secretary also marked his presence at the meeting. During the review meeting, serious concerns were expressed over the ever-increasing number of accidents in the state.The committee specifically observed that, on one hand, there is a sharp increase in the number of fatal accidents, while on the other hand, the total number of recommendations made by the Maharashtra police for suspension of driving license of the traffic violators remained negligible.The committee has set the target of bringing down the total number of accidents, fatalities as well as injured each year by 10 per cent. Accordingly, the committee has directed the states to put in an additional effort in order to achieve the set goal.The Additional Director General’s communication has categorically asked concerned police officers to confiscate the licenses of those found exceeding the permissible speed limit, jumping red signals, speaking on the mobile while driving or riding a vehicle, those caught driving in an inebriated condition, driving an overloaded vehicle, letting passengers commute using a goods vehicle. The crucial document will be sent to the RTO. The RTO is expected to suspend the confiscated licenses for a period of three months.

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