Dangerous Driving

Home / Legal Explainers / Police & Courts / Police / Traffic Rules & Fines / Dangerous Driving

If you drive a motor vehicle at a speed or in a manner which is dangerous to the public, or which causes a sense of alarm or distress to the occupants of the car, other road users and persons near the road, it is known as dangerous driving¹. Listed below are some instances of dangerous driving:

Jumping a red light.
Violating a stop sign.
Using any handheld communication devices, like mobile phones, while driving.
Passing or overtaking other vehicles unlawfully.
Driving against the flow of the traffic, such as driving on the wrong side.

If you drive dangerously, you will face jail time between six months to a year, or a fine between Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 5,000, or both, for the first offence. For every subsequent offence, if committed within three years, you will be punished with jail time of up to 2 years, or a fine of Rs. 10,000, or both¹. The applicable fine amount might vary across states.

Given below are the fine amounts for two states:

State	Frequency of Offence	Fine Amount (In INR)
Delhi	First Offence	1,000 – 5,000
Delhi	Any Subsequent Offence	10,000
Karnataka	First offence	1,000 – 5,000 (Not including the fine for the use of handheld communication devices while driving)
Karnataka	Any Subsequent Offence	10,000

Section 184, The Motor Vehicles Act, 1988. [↩] [↩]

Have a question you want to ask our legal experts?

Ask Nyaaya

Related Resources

Not following Traffic Signals and Signs

Under the law, a traffic light, traffic signal or stoplight is a signalling device positioned on roads to indicate when it is permissible to drive.

Driving a defective/Unsafe Motor Vehicle

You cannot drive, or allow someone to drive, a motor vehicle that has any defect which either you (owner) know about or could have known about through ordinary care, which makes the car dangerous to other persons or vehicles

Driving a vehicle without a registration

It is mandatory to register motor vehicles before driving them, and after getting your vehicle registered, you will receive a Registration Certificate (RC).

Driving a vehicle without a PUC Certificate

It is mandatory for all motor vehicles, except motorcycles of engine capacity less than 70 cc, to have a Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUC).

Using mobile phones while driving

You cannot use a mobile phone while driving any motor vehicle, as it can pose a danger to the driver and the public.

Driving Without A License

While driving, it is mandatory to keep the physical copy (original, not photocopy) of a valid Driving License with you at all times.