Dangers Of Using Mobile Phone While Driving

One cannot tell if it is the sense of being indispensable or an act of taking for granted what the worst could be while driving or riding and speaking on the mobile phone at the same time. Since the mobile phone became a necessity rather than a luxury, most people forget that like any other good device it can be a bad servant. There have been instances where passengers have had to draw the attention of drivers about driving and making phone calls. There was a disagreement between a passenger and a driver who was speaking on the mobile phone while he drove. The vehicle, a mini urvan bus was travelling from Nadowli to Wa. When the passenger drew the driver's attention to an eminent danger which his action posed, he got angry. And his excuse was that he had slowed down and so there was no danger posed. When the passenger further reminded him that his safety as well as that of the passengers was of utmost importance, the driver answered: “my safety is not your concern”. The man is not concerned about his own safety, why would he care about that of others. What a pity! He then added while he returned to the steering wheel: “do you know the kind of call I was making?” How is a phone call more important than your life and that of the passengers? His excuse made it look as if slowing down while talking on a phone was a better alternative under that circumstance. This is a highway that is used by heavy duty and long vehicles bound for the border town, Hamile and beyond – your guess about what could happen should an oncoming vehicle lose control is as good as mine.

The driver’s anger only showed that there is the need for the Ghana Transport Union and its sister transport unions, National Road Safety Commission and the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service to keep up the campaign of ensuring that drivers adhere to safety tips while on the road. There are more drivers like this driver who feel that a particular phone call is important and it will be unpardonable on his part not to respond or make such call. Unfortunately, there’s another attitude of most passengers that gives the drivers the impetus to justify their action – a deafening and apathetic silence. One wonders whether when most people get on a vehicle, they are not concerned about what the drivers do. Most people are apathetic towards speaking their minds and demanding that the right thing be done. There’s nothing to lose when passengers speak their mind if it has to do with their safety. When passengers are unanimous in speaking against negative attitudes of drivers and go to the extent of reporting them to police officers on the road, most accidents will be averted. No passenger should remain quiet for fear of being seen as all knowing, for a human life can’t be compared to a phone call. A better alternative is for passengers to suggest to drivers to park and make the call or tell him in no uncertain terms: that important phone call can wait! No human being is indispensable; whatever phone call that has to be answered or made cannot be more important than any human life, safety is paramount.

BY: ALEX BLEGE, A FREELANCE JOURNALIST.