Passenger flags ‘dangerous risk’ as cab driver uses phone while driving; Uber India and Mumbai Traffic Police react

“I am not feeling safe to travel in @Uber_India these days as these days the drivers are driving dangerously. This driver is watching videos on his mobile by putting his phone on his lap. @MTPHereToHelp this happened in Mumbai. What will you do to stop this?” Venkat wrote on X.

Watch the video below:

I am not feeling safe to travel in @Uber_India these days as these days the drivers are driving dangerously.
This driver is watching videos on his mobile by putting his phone on his lap. @MTPHereToHelp this happened in Mumbai. What will you do to stop this? @Uber_Mumbai pic.twitter.com/AY7sgCsRe3

— Venkat 🐶 (@snakeyesV1) January 5, 2024

Hours later, Mumbai traffic police asked Venkat to share the details of his ride. “We request you to provide exact location details for further action,” Mumbai traffic police posted.

We request you to provide exact location details for further action.

— Mumbai Traffic Police (@MTPHereToHelp) January 6, 2024

Replying to Mumbai Traffic Police, Venkat said it was before Vashi Bridge towards Navi Mumbai from Mankhurd and also shared the vehicle number in a subsequent tweet.

“Hi Venkat, the ‘Safety toolkit’ option is located, right beside the cancel option. Once you tap the ‘Safety toolkit’ option, choose the Uber Safety line option next. Finally, slide through the ‘Swipe to call’ column to reach out to our dedicated safety team, promptly,” Uber India Support wrote.

Hi Venkat, the ‘Safety toolkit’ option is located, right beside the cancel option. Once you tap the ‘Safety toolkit’ option, choose the Uber Safety line option next. Finally, slide through the ‘Swipe to call’ column to reach out to our dedicated safety team, promptly.

— Uber India Support (@UberINSupport) January 5, 2024

Several X users, from Gurgaon, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and other cities, said drivers watching phones and even tablets have become a common thing as they shared the unpleasant experience they had while travelling in Uber cabs.

“This is not a one of incident. It’s now a major risk with most of the drivers (cab, auto, private & self) use mobile while driving. The unsafe use of technology can be punished by technology. Please implement fine for using mobile while driving by harnessing CCTV footage,” said a user.

“Thank you for raising this. Awareness and stricter measures are required to avoid distractions for drivers behind the wheel. Many passengers refrain from asking them to stop doing it just to avoid awkwardness and retaliation,” commented another.