HEALTH & WELLBEING

A reminder: motorists driving with earphones risk 6 months in jail – FRSC

This warning may no longer be fresh news to some captains of industries, corporate bodies and others.

It is mainly to warn and perhaps remind those that are already aware, that driving with headpiece, headphone and is now, if found guilty, liable to fine of six months imprisonment.

And most motorists seem not aware that driving with one headlight on at night is dangerous.

It would be recalled that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) who made this known while speaking with PUNCH on Saturday, 3 September 2021, stressed that it is illegal to receive or make telephone calls while driving, regardless of any wireless gadget used for such communication.

The FRSC also reiterated that drivers who make or receive calls behind the wheels with AirPods, EarPods or any form wired or wireless earphones and handsfree mode risk six months in jail.

FRSC Corps Public Education Officer, Bisi Kazeem, in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, said driving requires total concentration and road users should not take any risk on their lives.

He said it is illegal to make calls or receive same while driving, according to the National Road Traffic Regulations, 2012.

Kazeem said, “It is illegal. Driving entails 100 per cent concentration so you cannot be distracted. It is there in the regulation.

“It is clear from the provisions of Reg 166 (1) that it is illegal to make phone call using EarPods earphone or whatever means.

“Anything that will distract you while driving must be avoided. When we do public enlightenment, we even discourage drivers talking to passengers which could cause distraction.

“The law may not make talking to passengers, an offence but at the same time, it can distract you, even changing your cassette (while driving) can distract you and result to accident.”