Linked table of contents
Talking on a smartphone while driving endangers the driver, other drivers, and pedestrians. The danger of a mobile phone-using motorist killing a passenger, another driver, or a pedestrian is 1.5 in a million every year. There are three risks connected with driving and using a cell phone:
-
Drivers must divert their gaze away from the road when calling.
-
People might become so engrossed in their chats that their ability to focus on driving suffers.
-
Individuals continuously reach for their cellphones to make or answer calls, making it hard to maintain both hands on the steering wheel.
Talking on the Phone While Driving to Soon be Legal in India
The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, has declared that talking on the phone while driving would soon be legal in India. However, Gadkari emphasised that some norms must be followed in the Lok Sabha.
According to his remark, talking on the phone would be permitted only if the phone is connected to a hands-free device. In addition, the phone should be kept in the pocket rather than in the car. If the police stop you and issue you a challan, you have the right to contest it in court.
If the driver utilises a hands-free device while talking on the phone, it will not be considered a criminal offence. In such a circumstance, the traffic officer is not authorised to assess a fine; the fine can be contested in court if he does.
Using cell phones while driving: yay or nay?
Progressive Insurance discovered that 46 percent of 837 drivers who used cell phones while driving swerved into another lane, 23 percent tailgated another vehicle, 18 percent almost hit another car, and 10 percent ran a red light, adding to research that suggests cell phone use while driving is dangerous. Ninety percent of those polled acknowledged using their phone while driving alone.
Driving while using a cell phone is much the same as driving after consuming alcohol. Both result in poor speed maintenance, bad lane management, sluggish starts at signalised junctions, abrupt lane changes, abrupt stops, and cutting off other vehicles. Driving while on the phone raises your chance of an accident by 34.3 percent, the same as driving drunk. Several states have sought to establish legislation prohibiting the use of cell phones while driving. Cell phones are not permitted to be used by cab drivers in New York.
Conclusion
Many people associate distracted driving with texting and driving. However, this is only one aspect of distracted driving. Playing with the radio, eating and drinking while driving, talking to passengers, and talking on a telephone are all examples of distracted driving. This implies that if you are chatting on the phone while driving, you are endangering yourself and others even if you are using a hands-free device. Therefore, it should be illegal to drive while talking on the phone.
FAQs
-
Why is it unsafe to talk on the phone while driving?
Did you know that driver error, rather than terrible weather or other variables, causes up to 94 percent of accidents. Thousands of individuals have perished in car accidents using telephones, and that figure includes hands-free devices.
-
"Can I use my phone if my car is stopped, such as at a red light or in traffic?"
No. According to the legislation, "no person shall drive a motor vehicle on a road while using a handheld mobile phone or a handheld equipment of the sort described by the act."
-
Can I use my phone if I'm driving, but the engine is turned off?
Yes, it is OK if you are pulled over on the side of the road in a safe spot with the engine turned off.
-
Is it illegal to use Google Assistant or Siri to communicate with my phone?
-
"If you need to pick up the gadget and engage with it physically, then absolutely."
-
If you can only access it using voice instructions, then no. However, keep in mind that you must constantly maintain good control of your car.
-
What is the fine or penalty for using a phone while driving?
A penalty of Rs.100/- will be levied for using a cell phone while driving, according to Section 177 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988. However, if it creates more trouble or is dangerous to other road users, the motorist may be penalised for careless driving, which carries an Rs.1000/- fine and an Rs.500/- compounding fee.
People who read this blog, also read this:
