Driving on the wrong side of the road has led to one of the country's leading causes of accidents. According to the 'Road Accident in India 2019' study, wrong-side driving is the second leading cause of fatality on Indian highways. According to another World Bank research, India is responsible for 11% of all road fatalities worldwide. Even though numerous state governments encourage road safety measures and wrong-side driving fines, traffic offences continue to occur, prompting the government to impose harsh penalties and fines.
Driving on the wrong side carries penalties/fines ranging from Rs. 500 to Rs. 1,000 and can also result in a three-month prison sentence in India.
The new traffic rules include punishment for driving on the wrong side of the road. When driving on the wrong side of any road, traffic officers will ask you to pull over and show them your documentation. These documents include your driver's license, RC, PUC, and 2-wheeler insurance if you ride a bike or motor insurance if you drive a car.
The authorities will then issue you a challan for driving on the wrong side. Furthermore, if you are unable to provide any of the aforementioned documents, the authorities will charge you an extra challan.
If you don't want to pay your penalty in cash, you can do it online through the wrong side challan. You must go to the official website of your city's Regional Transport Office (RTO) to do so. Then, look for the 'traffic violation fees' box and enter your vehicle's registration number. You can pay your fine by net banking, UPI, debit card, or credit card.