Kerala Driver Fined Rs 2.5 Lakh For Blocking Ambulance, Licence Revoked
The incident reportedly happened on Nov. 7 in the Chalakudy area of Thrissur district.
In a significant move by the Kerala Police, a Maruti Suzuki Ciaz driver was fined Rs 2.5 lakh for obstructing an ambulance in Thrissur district. His licence was also revoked as he allegedly did not give way to an emergency vehicle.
The incident reportedly happened on Nov. 7 in Chalakudy of Thrissur. The ambulance was travelling from Ponnani to Thrissur Medical College.
The driver has been accused under various sections of the Motor Vehicles Act for multiple violations. The whopping fine was imposed for obstruction of an emergency service and not carrying a valid pollution under control certificate (PUCC), among other violations.
The action of the Kerala Police has yet again stirred a debate about exorbitant fines on drivers for violations of traffic rules.
Dashcam Video Goes Viral
A video footage of the ambulance’s dashcam, reportedly shared by paramedics, shows the Maruti Suzuki Ciaz car blocking the way of the emergency vehicle. The ambulance was seen constantly trying to overtake, while the Ciaz driver kept obstructing its way despite having ample space to let the vehicle pass. This happened for over two minutes on a two-lane road, despite the ambulance driver honking and blaring its siren. However, the sedan was seen obstructing the emergency vehicle.
The local police identified the Ciaz driver from the vehicle’s number plate and initiated action. The driver was fined a hefty amount of Rs 2.5 lakh and his licence was revoked.
The video, shared by X user Vije with the username @vijeshetty gained over 1 million views since it was shared on Nov. 16.
The viral video gained traction and sparked an online discussion about the importance of following regulations, with many applauding the Kerala Police’s swift action.
A user commented, “Such inhumane and selfish act must be a non-bailable offence. He must rot in jail.”
Another user tagged Union minister Nitin Gadkari and urged him to take note of these issues.
“@nitin_gadkari ji can you kindly ensure that as part of road safety rules and laws, giving way to ambulance is an important aspect and people who don't give way to it are punishable. Yesterday, I saw a similar incident when an ambulance driver had to honk horn to ask for space,” he commented.
However, many users also shared the video applauding the Kerala Police.
“In a tremendous move @TheKeralaPolice has suspended the driving licence of a man, along with issuing a challan worth Rs 2.5 lakhs for knowingly blocking the path of an #Ambulance for several kilometres. The video of the incident earlier went viral raising alarms,” a user named Harsh Trivedi wrote on X.
“Well Done #kerala police! #keralapolice fined this car owner ₹2.5 lakh and cancelled his licence for not giving way to an ambulance. Intentionally not giving way to ambulance can be dangerous as time is of utmost importance during such emergencies,” another X user wrote.
As per Section 194E of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, driving a vehicle and failing to move to the side of the road when an emergency vehicle approaches is punishable with a fine of Rs 10,000 and imprisonment up to six months or both.
