Authorities in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts are taking strict measures, suspending driving licenses as traffic offences increase.
In the past year alone, over 1,000 licenses have been revoked. Police are empowered to recommend suspensions to the Regional Transport Office (RTO) for any traffic violation. The most frequent offences include driving under the influence, fatal accidents, excessive speeding, reckless driving, travelling the wrong way on one-way streets, and repeated traffic infractions.
Suspension durations range from a minimum of one month to a maximum of six months, depending on the violation’s severity. Once police recommend a suspension, the RTO issues a notice before proceeding with the suspension.
In 2023, Mangaluru police suggested suspending 1,400 licenses, while by August 2024, they had recommended 900 more. In Dakshina Kannada police limits, 285 licenses faced suspension in 2023, with an additional 197 by August 2024.
Udupi police recommended suspending 188 licenses in 2023, all of which were acted upon. By mid-2024, 92 more recommendations were made, with 89 already enforced.
Under Mangaluru RTO’s jurisdiction, 456 licenses were suspended between 2021-22, followed by 225 in 2022-23, and 90 in 2023-24. Among these, 62 were due to drunk driving, with 1,150 more suspensions still pending. Puttur RTO saw 127 suspensions in 2023-24, while 50 were issued by August 2024. In Bantwal, 125 licenses were suspended in 2023-24, with 53 revoked in the current fiscal year.
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