Hyderabad: People watching videos, talking on phone for long, texting or endlessly scrolling through social media feed while driving has become a common sight on Hyderabad’s roads. Whether on national highways, flyovers or congested city streets, two-wheeler riders, car drivers and auto-rickshaw operators alike can be seen glued to their phones, balancing devices on handlebars or dashboards, swiping through apps or even engaging in video calls, all while steering through heavy traffic.
On Tuesday, Hyderabad Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar drew a red line by posting on social media. “Many people, including auto-rickshaw and cab/bike taxi drivers, are often seen watching videos or using earphones while driving. This is dangerous and a punishable offence. Hyderabad Traffic Police will take strict action against such violators. Safety of self, passengers and fellow road users is paramount. No distraction is worth a life; stay focused, stay safe,” he wrote on ‘X’.
Speaking to the media, Mr.Sajjanar said the crackdown is a response to increasing complaints from citizens about drivers, particularly auto-rickshaw and bike/cab/ taxi driver, watching videos or using earphones while operating vehicles.
This casual negligence comes at a high cost. Hyderabad recorded seven accidents in 2024 linked to mobile phone use while driving, while three such cases have already been reported in 2025, including one fatal accident that claimed the life of a pedestrian, according to information shared by the city’s traffic police department.
In 2025 alone, Hyderabad traffic police have issued 77,791 challans for mobile phone use while driving, imposing over ₹7.72 crore in fines. Despite these efforts, violations continue unabated. To curb the menace, traffic police are set to launch a special enforcement drive in the next week, under which violators will be fined ₹1,000.
According to the 2023 National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), dangerous driving, including use of handheld device as per the Section 184 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, was the second leading cause of fatal road accidents at 23.6% (41,035 deaths out of 1,73,826), trailing only overspeeding, which accounted for 58.6% of road fatalities.
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