According to the Metropolitan Traffic Police Department (MTPD) Office, 19,690 motorists were flagged for ‘drunk-driving’ last fiscal year – that means on an average 53 motorists are being caught plying our streets after consuming liquor every day. MTPD has also said the number is declining – fiscal year 2074/75 BS, was witness to 22,226 offenders.
The report also says Department of Traffic Management (DoTM) has suspended 439 driving licenses for 5 consecutive offences since the introduction of MaPaSe in December, 2011. MaPaSe is an abbreviation of ”Madak Padartha Sewan’ and loosely translates to ‘liquor-consumption’.
The Metropolitan Traffic Police Department in an effort to reduce drunk-driving related incidents introduced Random Breath Tests, initially only in the valley, and gradually extending to all major cities. An offender faces an NRS 1,000 charge and has to undergo a ‘safety awareness class’. A five time offender faces ‘a six month license suspension’, after which the license holder will have to file an application at the Department of Transport Management Office.
MTPD enforced the MaPaSe since December, 2011 after the department realised a large number of road-related fatalities were directly related to consumption of alcohol. The administration immediately introduced a ‘zero-tolerance’ system for drink-driving. The MTPD says that the number of incidents has ‘significantly decreased’ since the implementation of the rule.
