Drink and Drive Challan in India – How to Check and Pay Drunk & Drive Fine Online-Offline?

Is Drunk Driving Illegal in India?

Yes, Drunk Driving is not just illegal in India but an offense with the most severe punishment.  As per the motor traffic rules of the country, no one is allowed to drive under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Drunk driving is a criminal offense and if a driver is caught driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, he/she will be levied with fine and other punishments. 

To detect the presence of alcohol or drugs, traffic cops ask the driver to go through a blood sample test, and if the presence of the illegal substance is detected, the driver might face penalty and imprisonment under Indian law.

Penalty for Drunk Driving in India

Driving under the influence of alcohol is banned in India as it might lead to accidents on roads, thereby putting the lives of people, including the driver at stake. As per statistics, every year thousands of people die on the roads in India due to accidents. Also, more than a lakh people are put behind bars for driving under the influence of alcohol.

For first time rule breakers who get caught for driving under the influence of alcohol, they have to pay a fine of Rs. 10,000 and/or serve 6 months in jail. This challan for drink and drive was earlier fixed at Rs 2000, which was increased after the amendment of Motor Act 2019.

In case the offense is repeated for the second time, the fine levied is Rs. 15,000 and/or serve 2 years in jail. This fine was earlier fixed at Rs. 3000 with 2 years term in jail. The fine amount is the same for bikes as well as for cars.

What Happens if You are Caught for Drunk Driving in India? 

If a person gets caught for driving under the influence of alcohol, the following things happens:

As a first step, the police will make you go through a test to check the level of alcohol that you have consumed.
The police will ask you to blow air in a breathalyzer. If the result of this test shows that the level of alcohol for 100ml blood is beyond 30 mg you will get charged with a drunk and drive fine.
For instance, imagine that you attended a party and got drunk as you wanted to enjoy the party. Now, it was getting late and you wanted to go back home. One of your friends who was not consuming too much alcohol suggested that you should take a cab or get dropped by another friend. However, you said you are fine and drove home on your own.

As it was quite late in the night and the roads were almost empty, so you accelerated and crossed the set speed limit. Just then you saw a few traffic cops on the road who were checking every car. When they stopped and started questioning you at the barricade, they understood that you are under the influence of alcohol.

So, they asked you to step down and to appear for the breath analyzer test. The result of the test showed you had more than 30mg alcohol per 100 ml of your blood in the body.

If such a situation occurs, the traffic police will charge you with a drunk and drive challan, and will also take your driving license away. Further, they will give you a certain date to appear in the court after 3 months.

Thus, you will not be able to drive for the next 3 months without your license. Also, after 3 months, you have to appear in the court and pay your fine to the judge to be able to drive again.

Here, you also have the option of paying your fine online by means of online challan.

How to Check Drink and Drive Cases Online in India?

Wondering how to check a drink and drive case online, here are the steps to follow:

Visit the website of the transport department of your state
Click on the e-challan button
Submit the required details

Traffic Challan Payment Online – How to Pay Drunk and Drive Fine Payment Online in India?

If you are wondering how to pay drink and drive challan online, here are the steps to follow:

Visit the website of transport department of your state
Click on the e-challan button
Submit the required details
Submit your challan number
Now, submit the captcha code as showed on the screen
For the payment of the challan, you can use various online payment apps.
Once you make the payment, you will get a message on your registered phone number along with a receipt of confirmation

Traffic Challan Payment Offline – How to Pay Drunk and Drive Fine Payment Offline in India?

Here are the steps for making the payment of the traffic challan offline:

Visit the nearest police station
Pay the fine that is levied on you
Clear the dues and collect the receipt
Keep the receipt safely with you
And remember not to break the drink and drive traffic rule in the future again as the fine for the second time is greater. Moreover, in such cases you might even be imprisoned depending on the severity of the breach of rule.

Since the penalty for drink and drive is severe, it is better to avoid it. Here are some tips as to how you can avoid the drunk driving fine.

Is The Fine for Drunk Driving Same Across Vehicles?

The penalty imposed for drunk driving is the same for all vehicles. So, whether you are driving a two-wheeler or a four-wheeler, a private car, or a commercial vehicle, you are liable to pay the same fine as a penalty.

What Amount of Alcohol in Blood Penalizes You with Drunk Driving Fine?

As already discussed, if the value of alcohol in your 100 ml blood is 30mg and above, you are charged with a drunk driving offense. Once the level of alcohol in the blood is confirmed, the traffic cop will issue a challan for you to pay a fine.  You may also get detained by the traffic cops in extreme cases.

A few things to note here:

Never refuse to undertake the BAC or blood alcohol concentration test asked by the traffic cops
The traffic cops may take serious action if the test is refused
There are chances of getting your license suspended 
The cops can arrest the offender without a warrant
The driver may be taken to a hospital for a blood test
When you drive under the influence of alcohol you put the lives of many people on the road at risk, which is why the cops are very strict about the penalty.  

Ways to Avoid Drink and Drive Fine 2024

Never drink alcohol if you know that you have to drive.
In case you had to drink due to any sudden plan, you must go back home in a cab, and park your car in a safe place.
Also, always follow traffic rule and drive within the prescribed speed limit.
Carry all documents while driving.
In case, you had to drive despite consuming alcohol due to some circumstance, you must drive safely and slowly.
If possible, ask your friend to drop you back home or stay at your pal’s house to avoid driving when you are drunk.