Road accidents are a major concern that preoccupies authorities all over the world. Traffic accidents cause immense loss in terms of finance and lives, as well as injuries, disabilities and other social problems. The major cause of traffic accidents is human beings—the people who drive cars. People should not drive unless they have undergone suitable and satisfactory training on how to drive. People who drive should be healthy, physically and mentally, and be able to focus on the road. Many road accidents are caused by sheer exhaustion due to lack of sleep or loss of concentration. A major distraction while driving is cell phones. Talking on a cell phone while driving distracts drivers. This has been proven beyond doubt and is an established fact. We often see accidents in which a car has hit the back of another at a traffic signal, or a car has hit a wall or mounted the curb, all because the driver was talking on a cell phone while driving. There have been studies which prove the following: Using a cell phone while driving reduces a person's brain activity by 37 percent, talking over the phone while driving causes drivers to lose their focus for 110 meters, cell phones cause some 60 percent of accidents on roads, and using a cell phone while driving increases the likelihood of a road accident by five times. The authorities need to carry out extensive studies into the negative and dangerous practice some drivers engage in while on the road. The Ministry of Interior, through the Traffic Department, should impose hefty fines on drivers who talk on a phone when driving. The fine should be similar to the amount handed out for speeding because speaking on a cell phone may be more dangerous than speeding and more likely to cause an accident and the subsequent tragic results.
