Breaking traffic rules can get expensive: Fines range from ₹5,000 to ₹25,000

Salary shock

A traffic mistake may no longer feel like a small roadside expense. Under the Motor Vehicles Act, some violations can attract fines running into thousands of rupees, turning one careless decision behind the wheel into an unexpectedly painful hit to your monthly budget.

Drunk gamble

Drinking and driving carries consequences far beyond a routine challan. A first offence can attract a fine of up to ₹10,000 or imprisonment of up to six months, while repeat violations can raise the fine to ₹15,000 and even bring a jail term of up to two years.

Loading trap

Trying to squeeze more goods into a vehicle could prove expensive. Overloading can attract a penalty of ₹20,000, with an additional ₹2,000 for every extra tonne, making that seemingly profitable extra load capable of rapidly eating into the money earned from the trip.

Ambulance mistake

That impatient decision to block an ambulance, fire engine or another emergency vehicle could have serious consequences. Under traffic rules, failing to give way to emergency vehicles can attract a fine of up to ₹10,000 or imprisonment extending to six months.

Licence trouble

Driving without a valid licence is not a minor paperwork lapse. The Motor Vehicles Act provides for a fine of up to ₹5,000 for driving without a licence, meaning a routine traffic stop can suddenly become an expensive reminder to keep your documents in order.

Owner nightmare

Handing your vehicle to someone who is not legally permitted to drive can land the owner in trouble too. If a juvenile is caught driving, the guardian or vehicle owner can face a ₹25,000 fine and up to three years in jail, along with consequences for the vehicle's registration.