Recently, while I was in a taxi, I noticed the driver checking the Grab app when we were close to my destination. He began braking constantly as he did so.

Besides making for a very uncomfortable ride, his distracted driving must have also made him a nuisance to other drivers who would not know how to navigate around him.

I am concerned that ride-sharing apps such as Uber and Grab are causing taxi and private-hire drivers to be less focused on traffic.

These apps are designed such that available rides are presented in a list, which drivers scroll through to find the one they want.

This user interface causes drivers to be distracted from the road. The act of switching to the app after using the phone for other purposes is also distracting.

I implore the ride-sharing services to redesign their apps so that they are less distracting to drivers.

Drivers should be focused on traffic conditions and road safety, instead of fiddling with apps.

Balasingam-Chow Yu Hui