BANGALORE: Negligent drivers who cause deaths on the road may never be able to drive after such accidents.

The state government plans to bring in stricter laws, as it believes stringent action against errant driving reduces accidents. Such provisions will be invoked against habitual offenders.

But enforcing such rules will need a comprehensive database of traffic offences. Traffic and police officials can refer to such a database and book repeated offenders. The transport department is building such a database with financial assistance from the central government.

“The Centre has released Rs 5 crore for this purpose,’’ transport minister R Ashok told reporters on Tuesday. In case of traffic violations, the owner and the driver will be punished.

But does the law allow for such stern action where a habitual offender shall be asked never to drive again in his life? Transport department officials say the law provides for such punishment, and the government can frame and enforce such rules. “Such rules can be enforced against habitual offenders. We have not been doing that as we don’t have a database yet,’’ said joint commissioner (transport) M K Aiyappa.

However, legal experts say the issue is more complicated than the government thinks.

“Asking someone not to drive after he has already been convicted of negligent driving amounts to punishing him twice for the same offence,’’ former advocate-general A N Jayaram said.

“First of all, the government cannot decide whether a driver’s negligence led to someone losing his life. It is a matter for the courts to decide. Secondly, once a driver is punished for causing someone’s death due to negligent driving, he is cleared of the charges. He can’t be tried or punished by the government again. If such rules are framed, they can be challenged,’’ Jayaram said.

toiblr.reporter@timesgroup.com