We all rely on cabs, autorickshaws, and bike taxis to commute almost every day. If you are a regular user, you might have noticed a common behaviour among most of the people who drive or ride these cabs. A majority of them use earphones and watch videos while driving. They either talk or simply enjoy their videos while dropping a passenger. The Hyderabad Police Commissioner has now come forward with a circular that asks people to stop doing this.
The Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, Mr. V.C. Sajjanar, has released a circular where he asks people to stop using mobile phones and earphones while driving. He posted the same on his official X profile, which said, “Many drivers, including auto-rickshaw and cab/bike taxi drivers, are often seen watching videos or using earphones while driving. This is dangerous and a punishable offence. Hyderabad Traffic Police will take strict action against such violators. Safety of self, passengers, and fellow road users is paramount. No distraction is worth a life – stay focused, stay safe.”
This is not a new rule. The use of mobile phones while driving a car or riding an autorickshaw is actually an offence. However, with the increase in the number of people using smartphones and social media, this has become a common sight around us. In fact, many have normalised using phones while driving or riding an autorickshaw.
The reason why it is not recommended to use a mobile phone while driving or riding is because it is extremely distracting. A person watching a video on his phone while driving a car, especially while wearing earphones, can easily get immersed in the video and forget about the surroundings.
This distraction can lead to accidents, and by being distracted on duty, the driver is not only risking his own life but also the lives of innocent passengers who booked the ride. The Hyderabad cops have been given instructions to look into this matter, and it looks like in the coming days, there will be a special drive to nab drivers who are not following the rules.
The comment section under this video is filled with reactions supporting the department’s move. Some users are even suggesting that cops take action against other normalised issues on the road. Some of the comments include: “Sir, please conduct a drive against high beams and extra LED headlights also, sir. Remember the black sticker covering the top half of the headlights back in the day? Can we bring them back?”
“My Uber auto driver was on a video call while driving and entering a wrong way without any fear, sir. I reported this to Uber in the app, but these things have become quite normal: Entering the wrong side of the road and driving on the shoulder (90%), Watching or talking on the phone while driving, Sudden U-turns in the middle of the road, Jumping signals without fear (especially food delivery guys).” “Sir, I travel on ORR every day and most private car owners going to offices use it. Now what do we do with them? Can we educate them?”