Using Mobile while driving is not a crime

Kerala, May 17: According to the latest verdict from the Kerala High Court, it is not illegal to talk on the phone while driving, unless it is established that the driver's actions endangered public safety.

For a really long time, the government, carmakers, and others ran campaigns to raise awareness over the hazards of using a mobile phone while driving.

Now though, the division bench at Kerala High Court says that there are no provisions in writing in the existing law to book a person for talking on the phone while driving, it isn't an offense.

The ruling comes after a Kochi resident, MJ Santhosh, filed a petition as he was booked by the police under Section 118 (E) of the Kerala Police Act and Section 184 of the Motor Vehicles Act for talking on the phone while he was driving.

The case was disposed of without a fine and the court then established that until and unless a driver's action can be proven to have endangered public safety, it can not be considered an offense.

The court went on to say that there were no provisions in the existing Police Act deeming using a phone while driving as an offense. If a case has to be registered, the existing law should be amended and passed by the legislative assembly, it said.