The data from Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) showed that distracted driving, especially using mobile phones, was the reason behind 2,241 accidents and 1,047 deaths in 2023. The MoRTH report ‘Road Accidents in India – 2023’ further showed that there has been about 10% fall in accidents involing usage of mobile phones since 2022. However, instances where drivers are caught texting, calling, scrolling through social media, or even watching videos while driving on the road are not uncommon.
Recently, a similar incident came into light, where a private bus driver was caught watching TV reality show Bigg Boss while driving. The incident took place around 2:50 AM during a Mumbai to Hyderabad trip. A viral video showed the driver watching the show on his phone, which was placed on the speedometer’s glass, as he drove at nearly 80 km/hour down the highway in the middle of the night.
Watch video here-
How social media reacts
The video sparked outrage on social media, with many people criticising the driver’s reckless behavior. A user wrote, “No doubt why bus accidents suddenly increased”.
Another wrote, “This is nothing, BMTC drivers watch insta reels and drive in B’lore traffic. That is the reason there is a sharp rise in BMTC accident cases recently”.
One more comment surfaced where a user shared similar sentiments writing, “A CCTV in the driver’s cabin of public transport is the need of the hour”.
Bus company issues statement
In response to the backlash, the bus company that employed the driver, Vijayanand Travels, launched an internal inquiry and confirmed that the driver was immediately fired, India Express reported.
“We would like to inform you that the very next day after receiving the complaint, we took prompt action and terminated the driver,” the company stated.
Vijayanand Travels further added, “We maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward any action that puts passenger safety at risk. With over 1,300 drivers in our travel division and more than 10,000 in logistics, we conduct regular safety training and awareness programs. Such incidents are extremely rare, and we appreciate those who brought this to our notice.”
In 2021 alone, India lost an average of 18 lives every hour in road accidents, with speeding and mobile phone use being among the main causes.