The Government of India has recently announced a significant increase in fines on traffic challans for motor vehicle violations.
In addition, high penalty charges now apply to violations such as riding without a helmet, driving without wearing a seat belt and using a mobile phone while driving.
Keeping yourself aware of these changes in traffic penalties, adhering to traffic regulations and driving responsibly are vital steps for road safety.
List of Fines for Traffic Violations - Effective from March 2025
Type of Offence |
Previously Applicable Fine |
Revised Fine - Applicable from 1st March 2025 |
Drunken driving
Permissible limit - Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) should not exceed 0.03% (30mg per 100ml of blood) | ₹1000 - ₹1500 |
Drunken drive fine ● First-time offence - - ₹10,000 and/or 6 months in prison ● In case of repetition - ₹15,000 and/or 2 years in prison |
Driving dangerously Driving at a speed or in a way that is dangerous to the public - driving against traffic flow, illegal overtaking, violating a stop sign, etc. | ₹500 | ₹5,000 |
Racing or Speeding Reckless driving or overspeeding on public roads, posing a risk to pedestrians or other vehicles | ₹500 | ₹5,000 |
Driving without having a valid driving licence
Without driving licence fine - Age criteria ● 16 years for motorcycles without gears ● 18 years for light motor vehicles and motorcycles with gears ● 20 years for transport vehicles | ₹500 | ₹5000 |
Invalid insurance Driving a vehicle without a valid motor vehicle insurance. Having at least
third-party insurance is required by law. | ₹200 - ₹400 |
Fine for without insurance ● First offence - ₹2,000 and/or 6 months in prison, community service ● In case of repetition - ₹4,000 |
Invalid pollution certificate Driving without a valid Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) | ₹1000 | ₹10,000 and/or up to 6 months in prison and community service |
Riding without a helmet fine Compromising safety while riding a two-wheeler | ₹100 | ₹1,000 and suspension of driving licence for three months |
Driving without fastening the seat belts For compromising safety by not wearing a seat belt | ₹100 | ₹1,000 |
Using a mobile while driving Compromising safety by using mobile phones that can lead to distraction | ₹500 | ₹5,000 |
Triple riding on a two-wheeler For violating safety regulations and compromising safety | ₹100 | ₹1000 |
Not providing a way for emergency vehicles To avoid delays in critical situations, such as in ambulances | ₹1000 | ₹10,000 |
Overloading For compromising public and road safety by exceeding the specific permissible passenger capacity | ₹2,000 | ₹20,000 |
Signal jumping fine
Ignoring traffic rules and endangering public safety | ₹500 | ₹5,000 |
Offences made by juveniles The punishment and fine will be applicable to the juvenile or the guardian/parent, based on the violation and legal provisions | ₹2500 | ● ₹25,000 with three years of imprisonment - for the guardian or parent ● Cancellation of registration of the vehicle for 1 year - for the guardian or parent ● Ineligibility to avail a driving licence until 25 years of age - for the juvenile
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Why the Change?
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Increase in traffic signal violations - Traffic signal violations are surging across India and continue to raise public safety concerns. For example, the Delhi Traffic Police marked 69,296 cases of traffic signal violations in the first quarter of 2024, up from 21,089 the previous year. This is a 228% increase.
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Increase in cases of drunken driving - The number of drunken driving incidents has also been rising across the country. For instance, between 1st January and 30th June 2024, Delhi registered 12,248 violations. This marks a 27% increase compared to 9,837 cases last year.
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Increase in traffic violations during festival celebrations - Festival celebrations, such as Holi and New Year’s Eve, often lead to a surge in traffic violations. According to Delhi Traffic Police, the number of traffic violations reported on Holi in 2025 was 2,971 as against 1,241 in 2024, marking a 139% increase.
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Increase in traffic violations against e-commerce delivery executives - The growing demand for quick deliveries also increases traffic violations. On 15th November 2024, Bengaluru Traffic Police reported 4293 traffic violations by e-commerce delivery executives, collecting ₹22.13 lakhs in a single day.
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Increase in deaths due to overspeeding - According to a
Press Information Bureau report, the number of deaths due to overspeeding in 2022 is 71% of the total fatalities due to road accidents in India (1,19,904 out of 1,68,491).
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Wrapping Up
The government’s decision to impose stricter fines on traffic offences will mark an impactful shift in road safety. It will prioritise legal compliance and responsible driving among motorists and other vehicle owners.
Road safety is a shared responsibility. Let us be more careful about following traffic rules and regulations to prevent accidents and protect lives.