Traffic violations on Christmas Eve increased several times compared to last year, police said.

More than 11,000 motorists were prosecuted on Tuesday compared to 459 cases last year.

This year, the number of drink driving cases has decreased to 62 compared to last year’s 89. However, the number of prosecutions for other traffic violations like rash driving, riding motorcycles with more than one pillion rider and riding without a helmet have increased many times.

Out of the 11,452 cases of traffic violations, 2,039 were for signal violations, 1,000 were for riding two-wheelers without a helmet, 552 for speeding, 105 for violating the no-entry rule, 161 for riding two-wheelers with more than one pillion rider, 40 for using mobile phones and earplugs while driving, 178 for rash driving and 62 for drink driving.

The remaining 7,000 cases involve other types of traffic violations.

“This year, drink driving cases have decreased, especially in areas like Park Street, Camac Street and Rawdon Street. We found that most people visiting nightclubs, pubs or hotels are either hiring chauffeurs or availing valet services,” said an officer in the traffic department.

Police said they had created checkpoints where the person driving the vehicle was being asked to take a breathalyser test to determine if he had consumed alcohol beyond the permissible limit.

The police said many motorists were found speeding and have been prosecuted for rash and dangerous driving. Most people prosecuted for rash driving were two-wheeler riders.

Recently, two youths speeding through the Parama flyover on a motorbike could not negotiate a bend and crashed into the parapet. They landed on the road under the flyover and died.

A college student riding home to Beleghata died in a crash a few days ago.

In both cases the youths were speeding, the police said.

“We are making a lot of efforts to generate awareness among motorcyclists to wear helmets and to drive safely. Two-wheeler riders are especially vulnerable to accidents,” said an officer of the rank of assistant commissioner in the traffic department.