Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Traffic police to initiate special drive

Thiruvananthapuram: The city traffic police have initiated a special drive to book motorists, particularly two-wheeler riders, who use mobile telephones while driving.

A significant number of recent traffic accidents in the city were caused by distracted drivers speaking on mobile phones, a senior official said.

Quoting a recent study on the subject, he said that motorists using mobile phones while driving were four times more likely to get involved in an accident in normal traffic conditions. Speaking on a mobile phone drastically delayed the driver’s response time and reduced his field of vision. The police said the response time taken by drivers using handheld sets and those using hands-free devices was almost same. Hence, using a hands-free device conferred no particular road safety advantage to a driver.

According to the police, only a fraction of those who use mobile phones while driving are fined. Most are let off with a warning. However, the police would make enforcement stricter in the coming days. The use of mobile phone while driving violates section 184 of the Motor Vehicle Act. The provision allows the police to book offenders on the charge of rash and negligent driving. Youth travelling on motorbikes are the biggest offenders in this category. Several speak continuously on hands-free sets while zipping through city traffic. The police said they would also fine motorbike riders using portable media devices with ear-phones while driving.

Ideally, motorists should desist from attending mobile phone calls while driving. In the event of an emergency, the driver should pull his vehicle well off the carriage way before dialling or receiving a call. The police are also set to launch a traffic safety awareness campaign in this regard.

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