Traffic cops get tough with drivers talking on cell while driving

The sight of people talking on the mobile phone while riding a two-wheeler or driving a car has become common.

The sight of people talking on the mobile phone while riding a two-wheeler or driving a car has become common. But this act now has come under greater scrutinty of the traffic police. In the last two months,the traffic cops have confiscated around 3,500 licences,most of them for talking on phone while driving. The have sent the licences to the Regional Transport Office (RTO) for disqualification.

The RTO has so far disqualified close to 1,200 licences for a period of few months and the traffic police have decided to tighten the norms further. In the last two months,we took strong action against rash driving,drunken driving and those who were found talking on the mobile phone while driving. Their licences were confiscated after finding that they committed offences over three times. We have forwarded such cases to the RTO so that they initiate the suspension process of the licences, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Manoj Patil said.

Pune RTO Chandrakant Kharatmal said,Of the 3,500 cases forwarded to us by the traffic police,most of them involved people using mobile phones while driving a vehicle and most of them were two-wheeler riders. Once we get the cases,we hold a hearing and give the drivers an opportunity for explanation. But as per the law,we can just disqualify their licence for a few days and not cancel them as such. The period of disqualification of licence may vary: it can be anywhere between 15 days and 180 days.

As per rule 250 (A) of Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules of 1989,nobody can keep their mobile phone on while riding or driving a motorbike or car. But nobody is aware of the rule, he added.

Traffic activist Chandmal Parmar said,There is a very dangerous practice amongst the drivers about using their cellphones while being at the vehicle. The Road Transport Ministry had issued a circular about two years ago banning the use of mobile phones. However,there has not been a serious implementation of that so far.

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