50 per cent cab drivers in Delhi drink and drive, says study

New Delhi: At least 55.6 per cent cab drivers drink and drive on Delhi-NCR roads, putting the lives of passengers and road users at risk, revealed a recent survey by an NGO working on road safety.

Out of the 55.6 per cent 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 research was conducted among 10,000 drivers in Delhi-NCR between September 10 and December 10, 2017, 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 per cent of cab drivers have never been checked by their employers for drunk driving, around 62.1 per cent of drivers agreed to consuming alcohol in their vehicles. Majority of them have not undergone any breath test for alcohol in the last six months.

“A key finding of the survey also revealed that police enforcement on cab drivers was negligible in Delhi,” said Mr Singhal.