21 people fined in 12 days for making videos while driving

The Gurugram traffic police has started a campaign to penalise motorists who make reels and videos while driving for the purpose of sharing them on social media websites. The police have penalised 21 such people in the past 12 days for dangerous driving and violating traffic rules. Most of the people were penalised for making reels on Golf Course Road.

“Though making reels is not illegal, putting life in danger while driving is an offence. We have penalised motorists for making videos after taking their hands off the steering wheel or standing through the sunroof,” said deputy commissioner of police (traffic) Virender Singh Sangwan on Tuesday.

The Gurugram traffic police imposes a fine of ₹5,000 for dangerous driving and ₹2,000 for speeding. The driver’s licence is suspended if he or she commits the offence for a third time. On an average, at least 90 fines are issued for speeding per day, said a traffic police officer.

The police have set up a social media tracking office with two police officers who monitor social media accounts for any reels made on road. The office also tracks complaints received from the public.

Sangwan said the 9.61km Golf Course Road stretch, where the most social media reels are shot, is one of the city’s busiest. At least 25 accidents and five fatalities were reported on this stretch this year, police said. “The lesson is: whenever you are behind wheels, never make reels,” said Sangwan.

The campaign started on November 11 and will continue till January 31, police said. “It was launched after we started receiving complaints on our Twitter handle. Some of the complaints were about motorists dancing and bursting firecrackers on car bonnets and hanging out of the sunroof shirtless. Other states are also penalising motorists for such acts,” said Sangwan.

Last week, a 24-year-old man was fined ₹15,000 for riding without a helmet, speeding and dangerous driving on Golf Course Road while recording a song. “He was identified through his bike registration number. We are also coordinating with teams at the integrated command and control centre (I-CCC) to keep a check on such activities. Our team keeps a close watch, especially on important stretches such as Golf Course Road, Southern Peripheral Road (SPR), Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway and Sohna Road, where maximum accidents have been reported in the past several years. Youths who perform dangerous stunts to become popular on social media websites are on our radar,” he said.

The speed limit for cars on highways in Gurugram is 90kmph, and for two-wheelers and heavy vehicles it’s 50kmph. On major municipal roads, it is 50kmph for cars and two-wheelers and 30kmph for heavy vehicles. On state highways, it is 80kmph for cars and 50kmph for two-wheelers and heavy vehicles.

We have penalised people for taking their hands off the wheel or standing through sunroof. VIRENDER SINGH SANGWAN, DCP (traffic)