The potential harm of using cellphones while driving has been addressed time and again in several ways by the traffic police force in India. A part of this that does not get much attention is the use of headphones or earphones while driving.
Part of the reason why the practice of using headphones while driving is prevalent in India is because there is no specific penalty mentioned for it in the Motor Vehicle Act. Another reason is that drivers do not really find it to be a dangerous practice in general.
That's not true however. Use of headphones for listening to music or attending calls while driving can cause considerable distraction. They can even limit a driver’s ability to listen to cars approaching from behind and other audible indications on the roads.
Citing these reasons, and in an effort to make the Mumbai roads safer, Mumbai Traffic Police recently decided to curb this practice. The force carried out a special drive on Mira Road during which it nabbed the rickshaw drivers using their headphones while driving.
Then, instead of keeping the confiscated headphones with them, the police force set fire to the whole bunch. A recent video by HP Live News captures the entire drive. You can watch the video below.?
The report confirms that the Mumbai Traffic Police had given out ample warnings to the rickshaw drivers before conducting the drive. It was only when they realised that the rickshaw drivers were not paying any attention to the warnings, that they decided to confiscate the headphones and eventually set fire to them.
With various government bodies now paying extreme attention to improving the road safety in India, such drives are a major contributor to the cause. With what it did at Mira Road, Mumbai Traffic Police has surely set an example of a better and safer driving practice in the country.