Driving Bike on the Wrong Side of the Road: Penalties & Fines in India

Penalties & Fines in India if You Drive Two-wheeler on the Wrong Side of the Road

Did you know that wrong side driving on the road is the second biggest reason for death on Indian National Highways? The government now takes stringent action against defaulters in the form of penalties and fines. Read the blog to know more.

Bike driving is fun and thrilling but it cannot be denied that it also requires a lot of attention to safety, ensuring speed limit at all times, and following road rules. This is because bike riders are inevitably more prone to accidents and other mishaps on the road. In fact, as per a report titled ‘Road Accident in India 2019, bike-driving on the wrong side of the road has been named as the second biggest reason for National Highway deaths in India. This is why the Motor Vehicle Act now imposes strict penalties and fines to defaulters to control this shocking and rising trend.

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The need to levy a penalty comes into force only because road drivers continue to violate traffic rules and regulations already in place. And sadly, bike riders are one of the major defaulters in this area. For the sake of convenience, they drive on the wrong side of the road, take wrong turns, and sometimes overspeed to overtake another vehicle.

What was the Motor Vehicle Act 1988?

The government of India brought into force section 166 of motor vehicle act in 1988 by passing it in the Indian Parliament. This Act authorized drivers to drive vehicles on the road and also registered the motor vehicles before they hit the road. However, the Act failed to cover the area of penalizing defaulters on the road.

In case of any mishap on the road, the person driving the vehicle was not held accountable for the act. Instead, the Motor Vehicle Act 1988 focused more on compensating the innocent affected on the road due to the wrongdoing.

Taking into account the steady rise in the number of road accidents and fatalities, the government decided to bring certain amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act of 1988.

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The Motor Vehicle Act 2019

The amendments to the existing Motor Vehicle Act brought into force the Motor Vehicle Act, 2019. The intent of the act was to ensure complete safety of people on the road, such as pedestrians, children, and non-motor vehicles, which might be affected by road mishaps. Also, the Act brought forth the idea of penalizing drivers who violated traffic rules and regulations.

In fact, as per the new Act, penalties imposed on defaulters were increased by nearly a whopping 200%. This was done following the denial by drivers in several states in the country to drive on the road in line with the new amendments made to the Motor Vehicle Act.

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Penalties Levied on Bikers for Wrong Side Driving

As per the newly revised Motor Vehicle Act, the government imposes certain penalties and fines as part of bike driving rules in India:

• There is a monetary fine chargeable between Rs. 500 and Rs. 1,000 to anyone seen doing the wrong side driving on road.

• There may even be imprisonment for up to 3 months for defaulters who refuse to abide by the rules.
• Motor insurance does not provide coverage to policyholders against the newly levied penalties. 

As a result of the above, a large number of bike riders have been following traffic rules with utmost sincerity, resulting in more responsible driving and lesser road accidents.

How to Avoid Paying Traffic Violation Fines?

The new traffic rules have been brought forth to encourage car and bike drivers to drive responsibly and ensure their own safety as well as that of others on the road. However, defaulters need to be taught a lesson and hence, fines and penalties have been levied.

However, by abiding by the rules and showing responsible behavior on the road, one can certainly avoid the penalty. Here are some things to bear in mind while driving a vehicle on the road:

• Ensure that you always drive on the right side of the road. Never drive on the wrong side. It’d attract not just fine but also an unfortunate mishap.
• Make sure that you always renew the Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate and motor insurance timely.
• Never drive without carrying your driving license, registration certificate or RC, PUC certificate, and vehicle insurance copy in the vehicle that you’re driving.
• Avoid overspeeding. Remember, arriving late somewhere is always better than not being able to arrive there at all! Leave on time and drive within the permissible speed limits.

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How to Pay Traffic Challan Online?

If you fail to abide by the set traffic rules, you are bound to pay a fine or challan, following the amended Motor Vehicle Act. In case you need to pay a wrong side challan, you can pay either in cash to the Traffic Police Officer on the road where you have been caught or choose to pay it online. The latter option proves to be more convenient to a number of drivers.

All you need to do is visit the official website of the Regional Transport Office (RTO) of the city that you reside in. Go to the section ‘Traffic Violation Fines’. You will be required to enter the registration number of your vehicle. Once you do that, you can pay the traffic challan online via UPI, net banking, debit card, or credit card, as per your convenience. You can also view your online wrong side fine status on the website.

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Wrapping it Up

Traffic rules are created for our own safety. It is therefore in our own interest to abide by them. Failure to comply can usually result in mishaps by way of accident, or even death. Always drive safely and responsibly on the road. Follow all traffic rules. If you violate them, you’d be required to pay fines or even face imprisonment. Make an informed choice for your own safety and that of others around you.

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