Talking on mobile phone while driving? Other drivers & pedestrians are watching

The city police have put up billboards to create awareness among drivers not to use mobile phones while driving as part of the Safe Drive Save Life programme. Despite such notices, drivers — both owners and professionals — continue to talk on mobile phones while driving.

To curb this "unethical" practice, the city police has requested people to take photos of those who talk while driving and send it to the Facebook page of the Kolkata Police so that the errant drivers can be booked.

It may be recalled that both city and state police took elaborate steps to stop the malice of talking while driving after a bus plunged into a canal in Murshidabad after breaking the railings of Balirghat bridge under Daulatabad police station on January 30.

It was learnt that the driver of the ill-fated bus was talking over the phone when the accident took place and refused to pay heed to the passengers who requested him not to talk over the phone while driving.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who had gone to oversee the rescue operations asked the police to take stringent measures against those who talk over the phone while driving.

A senior police officer said despite repeated requests, some car and two-wheeler drivers have refused to listen to the police and continue to talk over the phone while driving.

It is detrimental to the driver as well as to the pedestrians and drivers of other vehicles. Because the driver is busy talking, his mind is somewhere else and he also cannot hear any sound around him. "The new step is likely to be effective as pedestrians and passengers of other vehicles have been asked to cooperate with the police to put an end to this 'unhealthy' culture."