Reckless driving is a common sight on Indian roads and is often the cause of accidents and road rage in India. It is often the innocent road users who have to pay the price for such irresponsible behavior. We have come across several videos where impatient drivers create chaos on the road and become the cause of accidents. While the police do take action against such reckless drivers, here we have an example of how a lawyer is dealing with such irresponsible individuals on the road.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE BASED LESSON :-
How I’m ensuring sleepless nights to an abusive driver for damaging my vehicle (Read Below)* Incident :- A car attempts aggressive left side overtake on narrow undivided road. Pushes me towards oncoming traffic risking my life. Causes dent on… pic.twitter.com/c93jwy0mwf
— Sandeep Hari (@Sandeephari_) October 1, 2024
The post was shared by Sandeep Hari from Hyderabad. Sandeep mentions that a car driver had attempted to overtake from the left side of his vehicle. The driver managed to do so by pushing Sandeep towards the other side of a narrow, undivided road. The reckless driver forced him into oncoming traffic, risking his life and the lives of other road users.
The left side of Sandeep’s car was dented, and a deep scratch appeared on the door. The ORVM cover of his vehicle was also damaged. The reckless driver stopped briefly to abuse the lawyer and then drove away. Sandeep sent a complaint via email the same day, and within three days, he visited the nearest police station and submitted a signed complaint, including dashcam footage and a Section 63 BSA certificate affidavit for electronic evidence.
The police acted quickly in this matter. They filed an FIR and completed a scene of offense Panchnama. The police officers even tried to contact the vehicle owner by phone, but he never responded. An officer then went to the car owner’s address, served him a notice, and requested him to appear for investigation.
The reckless driver eventually arrived at the police station and was forced to spend half a day producing documents for his vehicle. It was at this point that the officers discovered the vehicle did not have valid insurance. Sandeep was then called to the police station to give his statement. The other driver tried to blame Sandeep for the accident, not knowing that the entire incident had been captured on his dashcam. Once he realized this, the other driver began begging for mercy.
For the damage to his car, Sandeep received an estimate of Rs 27,000. He filed a Motor Claim Petition in the local court for Rs 40,000, including the repair costs, mental anguish, and loss of earnings for three days spent visiting the police station and fuel expenses.
Since the other car didn’t have insurance, the owner will have to pay this amount out of pocket. He will also have to bear the advocate fees for both the criminal and civil cases, along with travel expenses to the court. This amount will total approximately Rs 80,000 to Rs 1 lakh.
The owner cannot use his passport without the court’s permission and will have to spend 1-2 years in court cases. Even if he moves to other states for work, he will need to visit Hyderabad for court proceedings.
The reckless driver saved five seconds by overtaking from the left, but in return, he has to spend lakhs of rupees and more time than what he saved by being irresponsible on the road. Hopefully, this story serves as a lesson to many reckless drivers and riders, prompting them to think twice before making such a move.
