Motorists driving with earphones risk six months in jail –FRSC

The Federal Road Safety Corps says it is illegal to receive or make telephone calls while driving, regardless of any wireless gadget used for such communication.

The FRSC also said 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.

“It is also clear that phone call is not restricted to telephone conversation between two or more people.

“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 it an offence but at the same time, it can distract you, even changing your cassette (while driving) can distract you and result to accident.” PUNCH