Driving while talking puts licence at stake; Pune speaks up!

A proposed amendment to the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, suggests raising the fine to Rs1,000 for talking on cellphone while driving. Repeated offences may also lead to cancellation of driving licence. Speak Up finds out whether the move will serve as a deterrent for law breakers

Create a special wing to nab those who talk on cellphone and drive
I positively feel that the proposed amendment to raise the fine to Rs1,000 will serve as a deterrent, provided it is implemented and carried out in a proper manner. Talking on cellphone while driving is one of the most frequent occurrences that one comes across daily, yet it is a neglected offence. But to ensure effectiveness of the law, the traffic department has to see that the offenders are punished in order to discourage others from breaking the rules. The first thing that needs to be done is to distribute the traffic duty.

We can’t always blame the traffic officials as they have to manage the chaos at busy road junctions during peak traffic hours. A special wing needs to be created to nab the offenders who speak on the cellphone while driving. This would increase awareness among the drivers and create fear in their minds when it comes to breaking the laws.
Nayan Sankpal Gulunjkar, freelancer

Many law offenders pass the traffic police without getting caught
Talking on the cellphone while driving is one of the most dangerous things a driver can do. This increases chances of accidents and puts others, especially lives of pedestrians, in danger. I have come across so many drivers who talk on cellphone while driving. This distracts them and they end up driving rashly. They briefly get disconnected from reality and hence do not hear other vehicles honking. The increased fine will definitely act as a deterrent, but only if it is implemented properly.

Someone should be present to catch the wrongdoers and awareness about the fine as well as safety measures should be spread. I have seen many law offenders passing the traffic police without getting caught. They must be alert and take stern action. I hope this rule doesn’t end up like the failed helmet rule, as talking on the cellphone while driving is the most regular, yet most neglected crime.
Harsh Dubey, MBA student

Proper implementation of law fails because of inefficient traffic cops
There are many amendments required in the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988. The recently proposed amendment of raising fine for talking on cellphone while driving is a very good move. However, implementation of the law will only bear the desired results if the traffic cops are willing enough to catch the culprits. Though there are various laws on paper, the proper implementation of it fails because of inefficient traffic cops. The way traffic police officials handle problems in the city is miserable. People go on breaching the law while traffic officials keep chewing tobacco in a corner.

Though this new amendment in the act looks promising, the fear among the public will only rise if the traffic officials take stern action against offenders.
Sujit Patwardhan citizen activist

Driving while talking on cellphone puts innocent lives in danger
While driving on the road, one gets to see innumerable violations of traffic rules. Talking on the cellphone while driving is one of the major issues, yet it is a neglected offence. The person who is driving a vehicle or riding a two-wheeler while talking on the cellphone puts innocent lives in danger. With the recent proposed amendment to the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988, this habit can be curbed to a large extent. Initially, the fine was a petty amount of Rs100. However, if the fine is raised to Rs1,000 then definitely a person will think twice before violating the laws. Also, it is important to take note of whether traffic cops are agile enough to nab the culprit. It they become efficient then all these issues can be dealt in an organised manner.
Anil Mahajan, senior citizen

Increase fine amount periodically to discourage offenders
I feel that the compounding amount should be more than the present one so that people do not violate the traffic rules.

Presently, we fine Rs100 to those violators who speak on cellphone while riding a motorcycle or driving vehicles. But, they should be charged steeply. Foreign countries charge heavy fines to offenders, which ensure better traffic management. So, we should increase the fine amount periodically so that people think twice before breaking the traffic rules in the city.
Vishwas Pandhare, DCP (Traffic)