When in a party, you tend to drink more, thinking that you don’t have to drive and will rather take an Uber or Ola and reach home safely.
However, going by the shocking findings of a survey by NGO Community Against Drunken Driving (CADD), even that may not save you from accidents.
At least 55.6 percent cab drivers drink and drive on Delhi-NCR roads, putting the lives of passengers and road users at risk, revealed a recent survey by the NGO working on road safety.
The study conducted among 10,000 cab drivers by NGO Community Against Drunken Driving (CADD), which has been working in close association with the Delhi Police for 15 years to end the menace, found that 55.6 percent of them regularly drink and drive.
Out of the 55.6 percent cab drivers, the majority also said that they were careful not to get caught but believed that a little bit of alcohol caused no harm.
The findings also raise serious questions about the safety of female passengers who board cabs alone. The drivers admitted that they usually drink during their waiting period, but if a booking comes they do not refuse it.
The research was conducted between September 10 and December 10, 2017, between 2 pm and 1 am at 50 prominent public locations including airports, railway stations, Metro stations, malls, commercial hubs, office complexes, and university areas. The ‘reality check’ was done to assess if cab drivers drink and drive in Delhi-NCR, putting to test claims of cab companies of providing a safe ride and an alternative to drunk driving.
“The results were shocking as not only drivers indulged in drunk driving, but they also indulged in consuming alcohol in their vehicles. Many drivers, who are being picked up from an existing pool of commercial vehicle drivers, are habitual drinkers and since they have little free time on their hands, owing to the long working shifts of 10-15 hours, they are now consuming alcohol in their vehicles,” said Prince Singhal, the road safety expert and founder of the Community Against Drunken Driving (CADD).
While a huge 90.2 percent of cab drivers have never been checked by their employers for drunk driving, around 62.1 percent of drivers agreed to consume alcohol in their vehicles. Majority of them have not undergone any breath test for alcohol in the last six months.
