#Article (Archive)

Visually Impaired Person Condemns Mobile Phones While Driving

Jan 27, 2009, 5:26 AM | Article By: Sainey M.K. Marenah

Mr. Yankuba Amadou Faal Sonko, a visually impaired person residing in Kololi, has raised concerns regarding the use of mobile phones while driving in traffic.

Mr. Faal Sonko, who walk into The Point office's on Thursday 22nd2009, told our reporter that using mobile phones while in traffic is not only dangerous to the drivers but also to pedestrians particularly visually impaired people like him. He said that over the years there have been many road accidents related to the use of mobile phones while driving. "I understand that there exist a law forbidding the habit but yet still some people tend to ignore it thus caring less about human life," he complained.

According him, another an incident happened in his presence some time last year when a white man who was driving fast and using a mobile phone along Senegambia Kerr Serring Highway (Coconut Residence area) knocked down a woman who was standing by the road with her children and killed them instantly. Mr. Faal Sonko further noted that disabled persons are more vulnerable even though they are easily to identify blinds white canes (sticks) and wheel chairs.

He narrated that he was one time a victimand appealed to drivers to change their attitudes by not using mobile phones while driving.

He urged drivers to be careful with disabled people especially when they are crossing roads, noting that those who ignore disabled people should remember that a disability is not a market commodity and can happen to anybody at any moment and time.

The humble looking Yankuba suggested that it's now high time for the government to enforce the laws.