Soon Liquor bottles May Have Pictorial Warnings Against Drunken Driving

With an aim to saving lives lost due to drunk driving , liquor bottles in the country may soon be having pictorial warning against drinking and driving to warn consumers about the dangerous consequences of drunk driving.

In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in Delhi High Court by Prince Singhal, Activist, Road Safety expert and Founder Community against drunken driving (CADD) seeking pictorial warning along with a clear and direct warning against drinking and driving on every alcohol bottle Indian or Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) combined with a pictorial warning, the court recently asked FSSAI (Food Safety Standards authority of India) under the Ministry of health and family welfare to consider the plea of the NGO.

The court had on March 10 sought to know the stand of the Centre and the Delhi governments, and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on the issue.

After the order, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which is finalising standards for alcoholic beverages, is also studying global practices regarding warnings and messages about drunk driving, an official said.
The court, which heard the plea on May 18, refused to give directions to increase the size of statutory warnings on liquor bottles and packaging, saying it was in the realm of policy making. However, it directed the FSSAI — an autonomous body under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare — to consider the plea as a suggestion and take a firm view in this regard.

As many as 1,46,000 people die in the country each year, of which 1,00,000 are due to drunk driving, Singhal claimed. He added that drunk driving was responsible for over 72% of fatal accidents.
“Countries which brought down their drunk driving accidents and fatalities through introduction of such warnings include USA, Kenya, South Africa, Thailand, Zimbabwe, Taiwan, Mexico, Turkey and others”, Singhal said.