Karnataka-wide drive against wrong-side driving from Aug 1

Bengaluru: The Karnataka state police will begin an awareness campaign against wrong-side driving, footpath driving and defective number plates from August 1.

Alok Kumar, ADGP Traffic and Road Safety, Karnataka, posted on his X a photo of the note dated July 11. The note highlighted instances of wrong-side driving on roads, especially national highways in the state and how that posed a threat to the safety of all road users. 

Vehicle users found driving on the wrong side would be booked under Sections 281 of the BNS and 184 of the IMV and would have an FIR registered against them. Especially on the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway, the driving licences would be suspended temporarily.

This, he noted, is being done in a bid to reduce violations that contribute to accidents in the state. “Wrong-side driving and footpath riding are inconvenience to other law-abiding citizens as well. Every month, we want to undertake one drive with concerted efforts to reduce such violations across the state,” he said.

At least 18,000 cases have been registered against vehicle users across the state for high-beam LED lights in a drive that began earlier this month.