Watch Your Speed in Karnataka: New stricter speeding rules could send you to jail

From next month starting August 1, drivers in Karnataka exceeding the speed of 130 kilometres per hour will face FIRs for rash and dangerous driving. Alok Kumar, Additional Director General of Police (Traffic and Road Safety), announced this measure to combat the high incidence of fatal accidents attributed to over-speeding in the state.

Alok Kumar revealed that 90 per cent of fatal accidents in Karnataka are caused by over-speeding. On July 25, the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway saw 155 instances of vehicles exceeding 130 kmph. "From August 1, FIR will be registered against those driving vehicles above 130 kmph anywhere in Karnataka for rash and dangerous driving," he stated.

Under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)-281 for rash and negligent driving, any speed beyond 120 kmph is categorized as rash or dangerous driving. Alok Kumar highlighted a recent incident on the NICE road where three people lost their lives due to a vehicle traveling at 160 kmph. The Supreme Court monitoring committee on road safety observed this accident and urged the state government to take stringent measures against over-speeding.


"In the year 2022, 90 per cent (accident) deaths in Karnataka were attributed to high speed (over-speeding). Of late, the Supreme Court monitoring committee asked us to make effective enforcement with regard to this. In this direction, we came up with this (registration of FIR against those speeding above 130 kmph). Enforcing it would be a real challenge but we will try to do it," Kumar elaborated.

The new rule will apply to all roads in Karnataka, not just the highways. Kumar explained the mechanisms in place to enforce this rule, mentioning that speed laser guns have been installed along the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway. These devices can record vehicle speeds even at night. Additionally, Automatic Number Plate Recognition Cameras help in capturing images of over-speeding vehicles along with their speeds, making it easier to book offenders.

"For instance, we have speed laser guns installed all along the Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway which record vehicle speeds even at night and Automatic Number Plate Recognition Cameras along the highway help us in recording pictures of over-speeding vehicles, along with their speeds. So, it would be easier for us to record and book them (violators)," he explained.

In other regions, the traffic police are also employing speed laser guns. "In other cases too, we are using speed laser guns. We have distributed 155 speed laser guns. Daytime, it is easier to record but at night, using it manually becomes slightly challenging," Kumar noted.

Current speed limits in India are set at 100 kmph for national highways, with even lower limits for state and other highways. Expressways have a maximum speed limit of 120 kmph, the highest legally permissible speed for vehicles in the country.