Centre directs states to enforce refresher training, psychological tests for repeat traffic offenders

The Union Ministry of Road Transport has directed all states and Union Territories to provide mandatory refresher training for repeat traffic offenders and refer those exhibiting careless or dangerous driving behavior for psychological assessment and counseling to address underlying behavioral issues.

The direction came through a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) issued to states and UTs last week, following the Supreme Court’s orders on stricter enforcement of traffic laws. The SOP outlines that traffic enforcement personnel will have the power to seize the driving licenses of offenders and forward them to the licensing authority for possible disqualification. States were also told to establish transparent procedures for seizing documents.

To strengthen accountability and data-driven practices, the ministry said it has developed a mechanism to record driver behavior and tie it to insurance premiums, license issuance and renewal, and even suspension or cancellation of vehicle registrations. “The applicability of graded penalties based on the number of offenses and challenges is also being examined,” the ministry said in the SOP.
The document also suggests holding highway contractors responsible for accidents resulting from project poor implementation. Under the new scheme, contractors working under the build-operate-transfer (BOT-Fee) model may face a penalty of Rs 25 lakh if ​​two or more accidents occur within any 500-metre area in an accounting year. If such incidents are repeated in two consecutive years, the penalty will increase. Similar provisions are likely to apply to other highway construction models.

States and UTs have been instructed to identify repeat offenders using electronic enforcement systems and impose stricter fines. They were also asked to ensure that accident investigations are objective and evidence-based, using physical evidence, witness statements and digital data. Every accident report should include recommended corrective measures for infrastructure or implementation gaps.

Additionally, the SOP calls on states and UTs to set up at least one dedicated road safety wing within their transport departments to ensure coordinated and structured efforts to improve road safety across India.With inputs from TOI