[Rohitthebest]

Vehicle to be confiscated and DL cancelled for following offences:

Driving intoxicated.
Driving on the wrong side of the road.
Parking in a no-parking zone.
Jumping red lights.

[Joe367]

The most serious traffic offences will be the ones which can put life of other people on road at on risk. I consider other offences like not wearing a helmet etc a step below.

[Shanksta]

It is very simple actually, any driving offence is a serious offence. Maybe the only ones that are not as bad would be offences related to not having updated vehicle documents (Insurance, PUC, Registration card). But I would also go as far to say that even using a private vehicle for commercial purpose is a serious offence.

The license bearing individual needs to understand that driving is a privilege and not a right. People these days drive so poorly that it looks like they believe it is their right to be on the road operating a motor vehicle in the manner they please.

To whoever reads this post, member or a reader. Please drive responsibly!

Had to rant a bit, apologies.

[Tassem]

For me, my blanket rule for the most serious and unpardonable offences are any that causes harm (mental or physical) to another motorist, pedestrian, animal or property.

And at the top of that list is operating a vehicle when under the influence.

The rest I leave to Kerala MVD to lose sleep over.

[Rehaan]

Results so far, sorted...

Wrong Side Driving need to have the harshest punishment - No doubt!

I've been thinking about this for a while, and was planning to start a thread on it too.

While OP has titled this as "Which is the most serious offense?" I was approaching it as "Which offense should be punished most severely?"


Now, it's no doubt that DUI would be the popular choice as the answer, but I'd like to post a few thought-provoking rebuttals to that:

#1 : 'Wrong side driving' is an unheard of problem in most other parts of the developed world, for the simple reason that it's so ridiculous that it's not even close to an often seen offense. Because of this, "DUI being the worst offense" is a common dogma and wrong-side driving doesn't ever get the limelight as a horrible driving practice that it deserves.

#2 : There's no doubt that people's mental functioning is hampered when under the influence of alcohol, and therefore choosing to drive is usually done when not in a sound state of mind. Wrong-side driving on the other hand is a very sober, very conscious & very calculated choice. The driver deciding to risk peoples' lives just so they can save 30 seconds.

#3 : Drinking + Driving are two fairly isolated actions that may or may not precede each other. Wrong-side driving is a conscious choice made while currently behind the wheel. (akin to say, cracking open a beer while driving).

#4 : Further to point #3, drowsy-driving (statistically more dangerous than DUI) is also something that ends up happening, rather than being a conscious choice.

#5 : Reality check: If you poll the number of people who replied to this thread about if they have ever DUI'd vs driven on the wrong side, the results would also prove point #3 above. This is also because DUI is a very wide spectrum (ie. 1 rum chocolate to 26 tequila shots), whereas wrong-side driving is fairly binary.

#6 : Red-light breaking could be considered a more serious offense (higher chance of an accident), but the fact is that it very often does happen accidentally. Whereas wrong-side driving is almost always a conscious choice.

#7 : DUI is allowed in certain counties within prescribed limits. Driving on the wrong side is simply NOT allowed EVER!

... That should really prove that although both should be seriously punishable, "Wrong-side driving" is worth a harsher default sentence IMO, and a cancer that we need to stop on our roads.

--------

A few accident videos involving wrong-side driving posted on Team-BHP:

Both vehicles going the wrong way, collide:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street...ml#post4160383

Oncoming truck at night:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/team-...ml#post4056726 (Pics: Bangalore & Hyderabad Mega Meet, September 2016)

Wrong way truck:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/road-...ml#post4368871 (Bad Drivers - How do you spot 'em)

Crazy close bullet-truck encounter:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/road-...ml#post4380738

Kerala bus driver:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/road-...ml#post4402628

Wrong-side tipper:
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/stree...ml#post4233944

Wrong way idiot:
http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/road-s...ml#post4362552

[abhi_tjet]

I have selected all the options to be risky ones except two.

First is not wearing seat belt and second being not wearing helmet. In all other options you are risking other people's life.

I have selected seat belts as lower priority since driver or the occupants are aware of it and still choose to be in same vehicle. It will also do no extra harm to outside people irrespective of you wearing/not wearing the seat belt.

[SR-71]

Voted for the following
- Driving intoxicated
- Reckless driving
- Driving on the wrong side of the road
- Jumping red lights
- Using a mobile phone while driving
- Not giving way to emergency vehicles

[Dry Ice]

Not even a contest here, Driving Intoxicated is the top of the list for me.

If you are intoxicated behind the wheel, you are highly likely to be doing many of the others.

[100Kmphormore]

I voted for everything that distracts or causes an actual accident. Tinted windows and documents, or seatbelts are not a direct cause of an accident. Jumping red lights, coming down the wrong way or recklessly driving, driving drunk certainly does. My biggest pet peeves are people scrolling away on their phones or neck bent talking to someone, watching cricket matches with the phone on instrument cluster, or overloading an auto with the passengers asses out the rear seat or the hands/legs of the passenger sitting next to the driver in the front, making it a task to overtake. They get camouflaged so well at times its impossible to detect, eyes being on all sections of the road while riding.

[t3rm1n80r]

In my experience, being unpredictable to others on the road causes mishaps. So for me its "Being unpredictable or causing unpredictability on a road having a reasonable traffic flow". This includes:
1) Turning without indicators.
2) Parking on a busy road, blocking traffic or stopping on the road for their "Insta" posts.
3) Driving in wrong direction
4) Rash driving

I don't fret much if someone is not wearing seat belt or
a helmet. It's their life. They may risk it as they wish. But just hope that they don't put others safety/peace of mind at risk.

[ajcpub]

I don't see a mention of one of the biggest offense, not committed by the riders/drivers but by the authorities responsible for the "transport infrastructure" -- be it the condition of the roads, encroachments, non-functional signals, improper planning, road digging. All this and the traffic density on our roads is a killer combination.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Results so far, sorted...

Interesting that 3 of the offenses, so far rated as trivial by most of us - 'Tinted glasses', 'Modifying the vehicle', and 'Driving without documents' always see frequent physical police checks. While one of the most serious ones, 'driving on the wrong side' seems to be growing almost unchecked in almost all cities and towns in the country.

Shows where the traffic cops' priorities are!

But to be fair, the checks for drunken driving have become standard, at least in Bangalore over the years. I hope they soon start as strict drives against wrong-side driving, it's really growing alarmingly and now seems almost normal. Heck, in Bangalore at least, the person breaking the rule will abuse you while you are going the correct way! This menace needs to be stamped out pronto.

[veyron_head]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Results so far, sorted...

Wrong Side Driving need to have the harshest punishment - No doubt!

I've been thinking about this for a while, and was planning to start a thread on it too.

While OP has titled this as "Which is the most serious offense?" I was approaching it as "Which offense should be punished most severely?"


Now, it's no doubt that DUI would be the popular choice as the answer, but I'd like to post a few thought-provoking rebuttals to that:

#1 : 'Wrong side driving' is an unheard of problem in most other parts of the developed world, for the simple reason that it's so ridiculous that it's not even close to an often seen offense. Because of this, "DUI being the worst offense" is a common dogma and wrong-side driving doesn't ever get the limelight as a horrible driving practice that it deserves.

I just hope whoever is the new transport minister sees your post and implements a law immediately mandating jail term for wrong side driving. Its such a menace. Between a guy in a alert state of mind after a couple of pegs and a guy who is driving on the wrong side without DUI, I would pick the latter and put him in prison for eternity.

[It's Magic]

From the given list, the following would be of a more serious nature for me as they would not only be risky for the individual involved but also for others on the road :

1. Driving while intoxicated
2. Reckless driving
3. Speeding
4. Jumping red lights
5. Driving on the wrong side of the road
6. Using a mobile phone while driving
7. Overloading passengers or cargo
8. Not giving way to emergency vehicles
9. Not using indicators while turning or changing lanes
10. Disregarding traffic signs and signals
11. Inconsiderate use of high beam

[NomadSK]

They say numbers speak. Our company has a robust policy which prescribes Motor Vehicle Accidents penalty points according to the seriousness/severity. Higher the penalty point, higher is the seriousness of the offence and all these have been engineered with Traffic safety committee. Unfortunately we lose around 10-15 employees/year on traffic related accidents.

Here they are;

1.Reckless driving (combination of moving violations) - 14
2. Speeding: Exceeding speed limit by;
- Less than 10 kph - 3
-10 to 20 kph - 6
- 21 to 30 kph - 10
-Over 30 kph - 12
3. Failure to obey a stop sign - 8
4. Driving on the wrong side of a divided roadway - 12
5. Passing in a “No Passing” zone - 8
6. Underage dependent driving a motor vehicle/ Motorcycle - 10
7. Underage dependent driving a Golf Cart - 6
8. Failure to obey a traffic signal/lights - 12
9. Not using seat belts (drivers or passengers) - 8
10. “Not Using Child Seat” - 2
11. More than 3 people in front seat (also requires seat belt violation) - 5
12. Passengers in back of open pickup truck - 8
13. Mobile phone use prohibition, including hands-free installations - 6
14. Failure to yield to pedestrians at a crosswalk or intersection - 6
15. Driving with an unsecured load or without panels in place - 6
16. Following too closely (tailgating) - 6
17. Turning or switching lanes without signaling - 4
18. Turning from the wrong lane - 8
19. Failure to yield the right-of-way - 6
20. Driving under influence of medications or intoxicants - 14
21. Riding a motorcycle without a helmet - 8
22. Driving during night time without headlights and/or rear lights - 8
23. Failure to stop when directed by authorities - 10
24. Driving the wrong way in a Parking Lot - 4
25. Driving without proper license or special license - 2
26. Failing to stop for two seconds before turning right on red light - 6
27. Parked/standing unattended while engine is running - 6
28. Dark glass tint above government limits - 6
29. Driving Vehicle in Unsafe Condition - 3
30. Stopping suddenly in the street for Loading/ Unloading passengers - 4
31. Parking in an emergency route or emergency vehicle space - 8
32. Parking in a posted Handicapped Parking area without authorization - 6
33. Parking on the wrong side of the street (against the traffic flow) - 3
34. Parking in an unauthorized space or area - 2
35. Double Parking - 3
36. Parking in reverse - 2
37. Misuse of company vehicles - 6
38. Non-Business Use of Company Light Vehicle (CLV) - 6
39. Partially or Totally Covered License Plate Numbers - 10
40. Failure to Obey Other Prohibitory Traffic Sign - 6

And these violations are monitored manually and through CCTV's, Now imagine to circumvent all/any of these.

It's easy to be among good boys, rather than with bad boys.