Driving While Smoking Banned For New Delhi's 14 Million
03/30/07
While several jurisdictions have banned smoking in cars when children
are present, New Delhi's new ban goes further, and prohibits any smoking
while driving. "This could set a precedent which other jurisdictions
might follow," suggests professor
While several jurisdictions have banned smoking in cars when children
are present, New Delhi's new ban goes further, and prohibits any smoking
while driving. "This could set a precedent which other jurisdictions
might follow," suggests professor John Banzhaf, Executive Director of
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).
New Delhi banned cigarette smoking in cars, along with cell phone use,
because using either product can be distracting while driving.
"Anything that distracts the attention of drivers is dangerous," said
New Delhi's traffic commissioner Qamar Ahmed, welcoming the ruling,
which goes into effect April 9. It carries a fine of 1,500 rupees
($32), a hefty fine by local standards. Offenders caught more than five
times would have their license revoked.
But, notes Banzhaf, there is an added and very important danger in
smoking while driving which does not occur from other activities such a
using a cell phone, eating a candy bar, etc. This suggests why a
smoking ban may be even more effective in preventing needless traffic
accidents than a ban on driving while using cell phones, eating a candy
bar, etc.
Automobile accidents are caused not only by the distractions of smoking
itself -- including finding and lighting the cigarette -- but also when
a hot ash or a lit cigarette suddenly falls into the driver's lap or
other area of his car. All too often, the smoking driver panics because
of a fear of a burn or fire, and desperately tries to locate and then
put out the ignition source without first pulling over.
"The panic caused by this sudden and very threatening event can easily
both distract the driver while snapping his judgment and thereby cause
an unnecessary accident -- something unlikely to occur if a driver were
to drop a cell phone or candy bar," says Banzhaf. Thus New Delhi's ban
could prevent not only accidents caused by the ordinary distractions of
smoking, but also by the panic reaction when a lit cigarette or hot ash
is suddenly dropped..
A ban on smoking in cars is hardly unprecedented, says Banzhaf, noting
that two states and several cities already prohibit the practice when
children are present. Moreover, about a dozen states prohibit smoking
when foster children are in the car, and in several dozen states judges
have issued thousands of orders prohibiting smoking in cars when
children are present to protect youngsters involved in custody disputes.
"At a time when many commuters cannot smoke because they ride in car
pools or use public transport, when smokers traveling long distances
frequently cannot smoke for long periods of time while flying, and where
more and more jurisdictions are banning smoking outdoors including even
on sidewalks, a ban on smoking while driving doesn't seem as
unreasonable as it once might," suggests Banzhaf.
Action on Smoking and Health (ASH)