CATCH ME IF YOU CAN: A survey has shown that IT professionals and BPO employees are major victims in road accidents. — A File Photo: Mohd. Yousuf

HYDERABAD: The traffic police are keen to teach a lesson or two to `culprits' in road accidents. Towards that end, employees working in IT and BPO companies will henceforth be attending lectures on traffic safety measures to be followed while driving vehicles.

A survey conducted by the traffic police on accidents in the twin cities has revealed that these employees in the age group of 20 to 30 years are one of the major victims in road accidents.

The situation was alarming during weekends due to drunken driving, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) A.K. Khan told reporters here on Sunday.

Advice to firms

He said the information had been passed on to the National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM), including 57 software firms in the city.

"We have advised the IT and BPO companies to conduct separate lectures to their employees keeping in view their safety," he said. He said companies had agreed to take up separate sessions very soon.

Mr. Khan said enforcement was made tougher from Saturday night and hereafter special drives would be conducted in coordination with the law and order police near pubs and bars to crack down on drunken drivers.

Over 1,600 cases were booked against motorists for committing different violations on Saturday night. Of these cases, 483 cases were registered for driving in intoxicated condition.

Instead of imposing penalty of Rs.500 after registering cases under Section 184 of the Motor Vehicle Act, cases would be booked under Section 185 under the Act in which the motorist could be detained and handed over to the police on the charge of drunken driving.

Jail for 6 months

Besides, a motorist could be punishable for six months of imprisonment and Rs.1,000 fine if he is booked under Section 279 (rash driving) of the Indian Penal Code.

Such violators would be booked under these two Sections henceforth, Mr. Khan warned.

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