Awareness drives and tech behind decrease in drink driving cases on New Year’s Eve
Telegraph | 2 January 2026
The city saw a decline in the number of drink-driving cases on New Year’s Eve, with police records indicating a drop of about one-third compared to last year.
According to the police, 149 motorists were prosecuted for drink-driving between December 31 night and January 1 morning, down from 214 on the same night in 2024.
However, the police also noted that fewer cars were on the roads this year, which could have contributed to the reduction in prosecutions. At the same time, the majority of drivers tested were found to be negative for alcohol.
“The percentage of people drinking and driving has noticeably decreased. This could be due to the fear of prosecution or simply because Calcuttans are more aware of the dangers of drink driving,” said an officer of the traffic department who was posted near Park Street on New Year’s Eve.
“Additionally, many vehicles had professional drivers at the wheel instead of their owners last night,” the officer added.
Hired drivers
App-based driver services and waiters at restaurants trained to keep an eye on inebriated guests have also contributed to curbing the menace.
Manav Sinha, a resident of Gurusaday Dutt Road, loves to drive his BMW. But driving took a back seat after his New Year’s Eve celebrations.
“I drove with my wife to the club, but we hired a chauffeur to drive us back. Why take chances on a festive night?” Sinha said.
Many others at nightclubs and restaurants were also seen using chauffeur services.
One indicator of this shift is the rise in demand for ride services. A local app-based driver aggregator, launched by a group of Calcuttans, recorded around 1,200 bookings between Wednesday morning and Thursday morning — almost double the 650 bookings logged during the same period last year, one of the app’s founders said. The usual weekend figure is around 700.
The highest demand was recorded between 11pm on Wednesday and 1am on Thursday. Park Street and adjoining areas and Sector V were the “red zones” from where most bookings were made.
One of the founders of Drivers4Me, Rajarshi Nag, said that most of these bookings were from restaurants and clubs. “Our data suggests that people preferred not to drive after drinking. We’re also collaborating with several outlets to discourage drink-driving,” he said.
Restaurant measures
Abhimanyu Maheshwari, former head of the Calcutta chapter of the National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI), said that a combination of factors is contributing to this shift.
“Growing awareness and technological solutions have led to greater compliance. We insist that patrons do not drive home if they are drunk. There is a network of drivers at nightlife spots, and restaurant owners have their own drivers to take guests home when needed. App cabs are at times found wanting during peak rush hours. Driver aggregators have filled that gap and are a preferred option for many guests,” Maheshwari said.
Under the Motor Vehicles Act, a person with more than 30mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood is considered over the legal limit for drink driving. Offenders face a fine of ₹2,000 or up to six months in prison. Repeat offenders may face up to two years in prison or a fine of ₹3,000. The police use breathalysers to test drivers’ blood alcohol content on the spot.
Kolkata Police officers said more awareness campaigns are planned for the weekend.