Never turn a blind eye to your surroundings

Talking on the phone while driving even if one is using the speaker phone option is also disallowed because it is a distraction and attention is diverted

A 16-year-old girl died after being run over by an express train while she was crossing railway tracks with earphones on in Palghar district, officials stated on January 24, according to the news agency Press Trust of India.

The incident occurred at 1.10 pm on January 23 between the Saphale and Kelve Road railway stations.

The deceased girl was crossing the tracks when she was knocked down by the Kochuveli-Amritsar Superfast Express train. The girl probably did not hear the sound of the oncoming train, an official of the Government Railway Police said. This, unfortunately, is not the first time that we have heard and read about similar incidents—tragedies brought about by a seemingly innocent ‘mistake’ but one that has deadly consequences. 

Firstly, crossing railway tracks, whether with earphones on or without, is an absolute no-no. The earphone aspect only compounds an absolutely dangerous action, taking it to another level.

This should also make people think about any kind of ‘distraction’ on our roads and public spaces. Any gadget that compromises one of our senses puts us at a considerable and avoidable disadvantage.

Talking on the phone while driving even if one is using the speaker phone option is also disallowed because it is a distraction and attention is diverted. 

So, it is with any action—taking selfies while sitting on ledges or edges means attention is on one’s phone, not one’s surroundings. Scrolling on the phone while crossing the road or walking on pavements is an invitation to injury or worse.

The most important thing is keeping those gizmos away. Keep all your wits about you as we have crowded conditions and other challenges. We need complete focus and attention, and risky behaviour is compounded by being preoccupied like this.

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