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| Sunday, 25 August 2002 |
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Police to crack down on 'hand-phone' drivers by Anton Nonis Various factors contribute to the violation of the highway code, but the rampant use of mobile phones by motorists appears to be the leading cause of major road accidents. The Deputy Inspector General (Traffic), Daya Jayasundara, has ordered his men to come down hard on any driver using a hand-phone while driving with one hand on the steering wheel. DIG Jayasundera said that those who use hand-phones while driving have become a nuisance and a danger to other motorists. "Driving a vehicle should not be treated lightly by anyone. Extreme care should be exercised till the journey has come to an end," he said. The driver has to be perfectly clear in his mind if he is to drive cautiously. Nothing should distract him or her. Hand-phone use while driving can seriously distract the driver. It also makes the driver irresponsible and driving in that fashion is a traffic offence. Police have detected that hand-phone drivers often cause road blocks as these drivers are slow in responding to traffic movements on the roads as he is engrossed in a mobile conversation. It has also been observed that some drivers use hand phones in order to show-off and, in certain instances, police have found phones not functioning. The highway code requires drivers to use both hands on the steering wheel which makes for better control of the vehicle. However, many drivers do not observe this important code. According to Assistant Superintendent of Police, Arasaretnam, who is in charge of educational programs on traffic discipline, it is common to see motorists smoking and listening to music while driving. These are some of the other causes that lead to traffic offences. Tuning car radios and cassettes while on the move is a bad practice. Police say that music tends to lower the degree of concentration of the driver while driving. The Traffic Police will deal severely with motorists who listen to music, smoke or eat while driving. Police have decided to take stern action against these practices as measures taken so far against other offences violating the highway code are inadequate to combat road accidents. Random checks have revealed that besides speeding, the above mentioned practices distract motorists leading to mishaps. "I want to root out all hazards and irregularities on roads leading to accidents and make the roads safer for all", DIG Jayasundara said. The DIG has ordered the police islandwide to conduct classes at divisional level on road discipline on a monthly basis, primarily to educate the general public on road safety. The first educational program was conducted for students of the Sirima Bandaranaike School at Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo last week. The next program will be at Royal College, according to ASP Arasaretnam. |
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