Majority support smoking ban

A majority of those who voted in last week’s online survey would support a blanket ban on smoking while driving.

51 readers cast their vote in the survey - which was open to all readers, not just LARSOA members - with 57% supporting a ban and 43% against. LARSOA recently called on the Government to look into the possibility of introducing such a ban.

Here is a selection of comments from those who voted:

For a ban
“I've heard of several collisions caused by drivers dropping lighted cigarettes/pipes etc.”

“If people want to smoke they should park where it is safe and legal to do so.”

“Drivers are taking their eyes off the road when lighting up and flicking ash. Also they are usually only holding the steering wheel with one hand.”

“Eating is dangerous enough without having something that is actually alight hanging out of you mouth”

“It would signal to drivers that they must concentrate on their driving and avoid distractions.”

“It isn't possible to steer properly with one hand largely occupied.”

“How is smoking not more dangerous than eating at the wheel? Drivers get penalised for eating or drinking a non-alcoholic drink but it never seems to be the case for smoking.”

“If you can be stopped and charged with not driving with full care and attention while eating…then I don't think reaching for a cigarette, finding a lighter, smoking with one hand and then trying to poke it out of the window, without the end flying back in, should be any different! I used to smoke and I know how distracting all of these things can be.”

Against a ban
“If you were to provide statistics on how many accidents can be attributed to smoking, or failing that, data on whether people were smoking at the time of an accident, we might be convinced.”

“There is already an offence that covers smoking whilst driving - 'Not being in full control of the vehicle', which also covers drinking and eating.”

“The next thing, they will be looking to do is ban music, radio and talking in case it distracts drivers! The nanny state has gone too far.”

“Again it's the use of a pile driver to crack a peanut. There are bad times to light a cigarette whilst driving, but how about in a traffic jam?”

“If safety organisations start trying to ban everything are they not going to ‘turn off’ a large proportion of the public as a bunch of nagging do-gooders?”

“There is no evidence that smoking whilst driving has any significant impact on casualty figures. However, is there evidence that some drivers smoke to calm their nerves?”

“We need to be encouraging considerate and sensible driving rather than legislating against every possible distraction.”

A hot topic