Drunken driving behind 23 per cent road mishaps in state

Around 23 per cent people involved in road accidents in the state have been found driving while under the influence of alcohol. As per the Himachal Pradesh Police, forensic reports have confirmed that samples taken between September 2024 and February 2025 showed alcohol presence in nearly 23 per cent of cases tested.

As per the police, Shimla, Solan and Mandi districts reported the highest number of drunken driving cases. The highest number of 2,078 challans against drunken driving were issued in Shimla, followed by 1,493 in Mandi and 1,376 in Solan district. Similarly, 224 persons were arrested for drunken driving in Shimla, 268 in Mandi and 1,588 in Solan. Similarly, 535 driving licences were forwarded for suspension in Shimla district, 477 in Solan district and 397 in Mandi district. The lowest number of 122 challans over drunken driving were issued in Dehra police district.

DGP Atul Verma said that to curb the practice of drunken driving, the state police had conducted a statewide enforcement drive last year and over 13,000 challans were issued, 1,300 arrests were made and more than 3,400 driving licences were forwarded for suspension. “The Himachal Police have analysed road accident trends in the state and identified alcohol consumption as a significant contributing factor to many fatal and serious accidents” he added.

The DGP said, “To raise public awareness and encourage responsible driving, the police have installed 12 digital display boards at prominent locations in the state. These boards highlight real-time data on arrests made related to drunken driving. Besides, the police have noted a rise in pedestrian accidents, many of which occurred on national highways during peak evening hours.”

The Himachal Police have urged all citizens to avoid driving under the influence of alcohol, follow traffic rules and exercise caution, especially during busy hours. People have also been appealed to report any incident of drunken driving by dialing 112 or informing the nearest police station.

Himachal Tribune