Bhopal (Madhya Pardesh): Addiction to digital devices has claimed lives of local residents who were talking on their mobile phones or listening to music while driving or walking on the road. The data released by Bhopal traffic police officials to Free Press revealed that 5,098 commuters met with accident in the city in 2023 due to this reason. Of them, 493 died during course of treatment in hospitals .
The data revealed that almost 56% of people referred to the hospital after road crash were 16 years to 30 years of age, a fact that indicates youths’ growing addiction to electronic gadgets. The officials at Bhopal traffic police station revealed that most people who met with grievous accident were either talking on phone or were listening to music on their devices.
A more worrisome fact emerged when Free Press questioned the traffic police officials about steps taken to curb such accidents on the road. It was learnt that though the provision of challan and penalisation exists for such offences, there are no effective measures to curb use of electronic gadgets while driving or riding. The traffic police are dependent on Integrated Traffic Management System to penalise such offenders.
Majority cases from Oct-Dec 2023
According to senior traffic police officials, the risk of receiving injuries is less in case of four-wheeler driving, it proves fatal in cases when the driver’s focus completely gets off the road and he or she rams into another vehicle to risk other person’s life. A majority of accidents due to use of electronic gadgets while riding, driving peaked from October to December last year when 1,575 such cases were reported in Bhopal.
Responsible behaviour needed: DCP (traffic)
Deputy police commissioner Sanjay Singh said people should drive responsibly. They should avoid talking to and listening to music while driving and walking on the road. This can risk their life and life of the other commuters on the road. Such a behaviour is no less than skating on thin ice.
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