Police harden stance on drivers using phone
Traffic department in Capital proposes tougher penalties
The Islamabad traffic police department has decided to make the use of mobile phones while driving a serious offence in the capital.
The police have also suggested increasing fines for drivers found using phones while driving. The proposed fine for motorcyclists will be Rs1,000 (Dh21.7), car drivers Rs1,500 and public transport drivers Rs2,000 for using mobile phones for texting, calling or making videos while driving. The cabinet’s approval is required to enforce the new fines.
The new penalties will strengthen the deterrent effect against using a mobile phone for drivers so that people do not consider it a minor offence that they can get away with. At least 15,233 drivers have been fined a nominal Rs300 for using mobile phones while driving since the start of the year.
Since January, Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) have registered 53 accidents relating to vehicles hitting bikes, 21 accidents involving vehicles hitting pedestrians and 30 collisions. At least 69 of these accidents were fatal.
Significant risk
There is no specific data of car crashes involving motorists distracted by mobile phones but the officials say that using a mobile phone at the wheel creates a significant accident risk to the driver and other people on the road.
Islamabad Traffic Police SP, Sarfraz Virk, said law enforcers badly require greater powers to reduce fatal accidents