Over 13k drunken driving cases in Goa in five years: Police data

Panaji: In the last five years, there was a spike in drunken driving cases in the state. Over 13,000 drunken driving cases were registered in Goa in the last five years, and the highest number of 5,346 cases were registered in 2024. In 2025, over 4,274 drunken driving cases were registered.

In 2023, 2,050 cases of drunken driving were registered; in 2022, 1,387; and in 2021, 268.


Chief minister Pramod Sawant recently expressed serious concern over irresponsible driving by tourists on Goa’s roads. He said that many tourists drive vehicles without following safety rules, significantly contributing to accidents and fatalities.

“The general public is once again requested not to drink and drive and risk the lives of others, and make Goan roads a safer place to drive and to prevent accidents,” police said.

So far, three persons were sentenced to simple imprisonment by different courts for a period ranging from one day to four days, in addition to fines ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000, police said.

Special drives are also organised from time to time against drunken driving. Awareness of the serious consequences of drunken driving is created during road safety awareness lectures among various sections of road users, he said.

Police said that drunken driving is punishable under Section 185 of the MV Act.

“It is defined as whoever, while driving, or attempting to drive, a motor vehicle, (a) has, in his blood, alcohol exceeding 30mg per 100ml of blood detected in a test by a breath analyser or in any other test, including a laboratory test, or (b) is under the influence of a drug to such an extent as to be incapable of exercising proper control over the vehicle, shall be punishable for the first offence with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 6 months, or with a fine of Rs 10,000, or with both.”

Police said that a second or subsequent offence could result in imprisonment which may extend to 2 years, or a fine of Rs 15,000, or both.

“Any amount of alcohol in the bloodstream can impact one’s driving ability. Safe driving requires the ability to concentrate, make good judgements and quickly react to any situation. However, alcohol affects these skills, putting a driver or rider and others in danger,” a police official said.

Police said that drinking slows down the response time and increases the likelihood of an accident. “It takes longer for one’s brain to process the situation and prevent an accident.”