Bengaluru traffic police have recorded their highest number of drunk driving cases in the past five years, according to recent data from November 2025. The city's law enforcement officials attribute this significant increase not only to rising instances of impaired driving but also to a strategic shift in their enforcement approach.
Record-Breaking Enforcement Numbers
The Bengaluru police force has achieved what they describe as a five-year high in booking drunk drivers across the city. This milestone, recorded on November 17, 2025, represents the most substantial crackdown on intoxicated driving the city has witnessed since 2020.
Senior police officials confirmed that the increased numbers reflect a deliberate change in their operational strategy rather than simply indicating more people driving under the influence. The new approach has enabled officers to identify and apprehend significantly more violators than in previous years.
Strategic Shift in Policing Approach
According to top brass within the city police department, the remarkable figures stem from a focused 'change of strategy' implemented throughout Bengaluru. This revised methodology has allowed law enforcement to target drunk driving more effectively across different areas and times.
The strategic overhaul includes deploying checkpoints in high-risk locations during peak hours, increasing random checks during late-night operations, and utilizing intelligence-led policing to identify patterns of drunk driving behavior. This systematic approach has proven substantially more effective than previous methods.
Implications for Road Safety
The increased enforcement comes as part of Bengaluru's broader commitment to improving road safety and reducing accidents caused by impaired driving. Police officials emphasize that while the higher booking numbers might suggest a growing problem, they actually demonstrate more effective policing and greater deterrence.
This crackdown sends a strong message to potential offenders about the consequences of driving under the influence. The police department plans to continue this intensified approach through the upcoming holiday season, when drunk driving incidents typically see an increase.
Authorities have urged citizens to use designated drivers, ride-sharing services, or public transportation when planning to consume alcohol. The police also reminded the public that the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for drivers in India is 0.03%, with strict penalties for violations.
