A drunkard driver is like a ‘human bomb’ which can explode and kill innocent people along with himself, the Delhi High Court said on Saturday and suggested changes in law to curb driving under the influence of liquor.
“A drunkard driver not only risks his life but endangers the lives of others as well. Such a drunkard driver is no less than a live human bomb prepared to blast himself and innocent people on roads and pavements including friends and relatives riding in his vehicle,” Justice Kailash Gambhir said.
The HC’s observation came while dismissing the bail plea of Sanjeev Nanda, grandson of ex-Naval Chief S M Nanda, who is undergoing five years of rigorous imprisonment for mowing down six persons in 1999 while driving a BMW car in an inebriated condition.
“This court is of the view that it is high time that legislature undertakes a re-look at the present law so as to prevent drunken driving which is taking a toll of precious human lives,” the court said adding that alcohol plays a major role in social ills in the society.
“Alcohol has been found to play a major role in social ills in almost all countries across the world but foremost amongst the ills produced by alcohol is its role in traffic crashes,” Justice Gambhir said.
“The spectacular increase in the number of motor vehicles has created a major social problem more particularly when large number of road accidents take place due to excessive intake of alcohol endangering the precious lives of citizens mostly belonging to poor strata of society,” he said while dismissing the bail plea of Nanda.