Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar has directed the traffic police to trace an auto-rickshaw driver seen driving while wearing headphones and initiate stringent legal action, warning that diverted attention on the road can lead to serious accidents.
The commissioner’s direction followed a video sent by a member of the public showing the driver operating an auto-rickshaw with headphones on. Sajjanar said using headphones while driving was dangerous because it could reduce a driver’s attention to traffic conditions and surrounding road users.
“Watching a movie directly and driving with headphones in your ears is not just negligence but it is an unforgivable crime,” Sajjanar said, according to the report. He added that the conduct falls under dangerous driving provisions of the Motor Vehicles law and could attract a heavy fine as well as the possibility of driving licence cancellation.
Sajjanar said the warning applied to all types of vehicles, including two-wheelers, cars, auto-rickshaws, buses and lorries. He listed mobile phones, headphones and earbuds among the devices that can create a distraction while a vehicle is in motion.
The commissioner also appealed to passengers and other road users not to remain silent when they see a driver using a phone or wearing headphones. He urged them to question the driver and ask the person to stop the unsafe behaviour. If the driver does not respond, he advised people to call the emergency number 112 and inform the police.
“Your negligence while travelling will endanger your life,” Sajjanar cautioned, while also saying that alertness among passengers and other road users could help protect the lives of people travelling in the vehicle and those sharing the road.
The directive places responsibility on the traffic police to identify the driver shown in the video and take action under the applicable law. It also highlights the enforcement challenge created by distracted driving, particularly in a city where auto-rickshaws, two-wheelers, buses and heavy vehicles operate in close proximity on busy roads.
The Hyderabad Police Commissioner’s office did not provide further details in the supplied report on the identity of the driver, the location where the video was recorded, or whether an offence had already been registered. The traffic police are expected to trace the driver and proceed according to law.
