Phone penalty is cop's call

Monalisa Chaudhuri, TT, Calcutta: The new transport rule in Bengal that makes motorists liable to lose their driving licence for using a mobile phone at the wheel comes with challenges in compliance and enforcement.

According to the notification issued by the transport department last week, a driving licence can be revoked for the offence along with a fine of Rs 1,000 or a jail term of up to six months. Subsequent offences can attract a penalty of Rs 2,000 or two years' imprisonment or both.

Traffic cops in Calcutta have been recording evidence of violations in the form of mobile-phone pictures and conversations captured on their body cameras. Offenders are also being prosecuted on the basis of information pouring in through public vigilance. Lalbazar, the city police headquarters, had asked citizens to report any such violation through a WhatsApp message to 9903588888.

"Whenever there is a tip-off, we try to intercept the vehicle at the nearest crossing and check the call details of the phone belonging to the accused. If the offence is proved, the person is prosecuted. The person is fined on the spot or, if it is a case fit for revocation of licence, it is referred to an officer of the rank of assistant commissioner," an officer said.

Metro compiles an FAQ on the crackdown on mobile phone use while driving.

Ideally, no. "If you want to contact someone or receive a call when the signal is red, you will have to complete the conversation before the signal turns green, which isn't always possible. We discourage this and do prosecute people who are on the phone while waiting at a signal," a sergeant said.

Ditto for messaging or emailing.

Will the police verify authenticity of visual proof if I am reported?

A: Yes. "Till now, we have not received a false complaint. If a person does make a false or motivated complaint, we can always find him or her through the phone number that gets registered with us the moment the complaint arrives," an officer said.