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Last Updated:January 23, 2025, 17:30 IST

Under the Road Safety Campaign 2025, an appeal has been made to avoid distracted driving. A road accident occurs every 3 minutes in India. Mobile phone use, eating and drinking, and use of GPS systems are distracting…read more

Indian roads are populated by motorized and non-motorized vehicles such as cyclists, pedestrians and often animals. This uncertain and unknown landscape makes driving difficult. In 2023, one life will be lost due to road accidents every 3 minutes in India.

Reckless driving has been identified as a significant risk factor for injuries in road accidents. Distracted and reckless driving includes the use of mobile phones, eating or drinking, conversing with co-passengers, reading messages, watching videos, playing the radio or music player and even using the GPS system to navigate to destinations. May include activities like doing.

However, most road accidents are preventable situations and if drivers or pedestrians are alert, this alertness can significantly help in making our roads safer for everyone.

Dangers of Reckless Driving
Although laws exist to prevent and punish reckless driving, it is very important for all road users to understand the strength of these laws in terms of injuries and deaths. This issue also attracts special attention due to the increasing use of mobile phones while driving.

• Let's look at some scenarios where distracted driving can lead to death:
• Texting or talking while driving can take drivers' eyes off the road, which can increase the risk of a road accident.
• Distractions even on empty roads can lead to accidents that result from collisions with stray animals or the driver's inability to react quickly to suddenly changing road conditions.
• Pedestrians walking using headphones may become unaware of oncoming vehicles and may collide with them. Nearly 20% of road deaths in 2023 involve pedestrians.
• Constant monitoring of GPS systems can also make drivers vulnerable to road accidents.

How to stop reckless driving?
Here are some ways people can ensure the safety of their loved ones and themselves:

• Keep your hands on the steering: Although it may seem intuitive, this rule is often ignored. Even if one goes on the same route at the same time every day, it is not necessary that one meets the same circumstances every day.
• Don't drive when tired: Make sure not to drive when you are tired or sleepy. Falling asleep while driving can result in serious injury and even death.
• Load the map before starting the trip: Load the map in advance to avoid distractions from the GPS system and navigate the route to clear doubts. The audio function can also be turned on so you don't have to look at the screen for directions.
• Avoid taking calls while driving: It is best to avoid taking calls while driving. Even if you talk using a hands-free gadget, having a conversation can impair driving ability.
• Avoid eating or drinking: Eating or drinking while driving can reduce control of the car.
• Control distracting behavior of co-passengers: If there are other passengers in your vehicle, then give necessary guidelines to control their distracting behavior so that an environment is created in which the driver can drive with concentration.
• If you want to call stop: If you need to make a call, check directions, or even grab a snack, be sure to stop in a safe place before doing so.

A few simple steps can help people avoid distracted driving and make our roads a safer place. Taking precautions can go a long way in preventing road accidents and saving people's lives.