distractions when driving

[BigRooster]

I'm not a big fan of police fly on the wall programs such as motorway cops but when I do and you get cops talking about the causes of accidents they have attended . They talk about people eating drinking playing loud music chatting arguing with there passengers even falling a sleep but never smoking.
Now I don't smoke but I would say getting a fag out of a packet lighting would be as distracting as much as anything else.
I feel that police give a blind eye to smokers.

[TWR]

Big, the biggest cause of accidents is a lack of concentration, I was smoking years ago & all the things you have listed, most people drive with never thinking "WHAT IF" a child is going to walk out from the front of that car etc, it beats me about Motorway accidents! how the hell should an accident happen when the traffic is on one side of a motorway & going one way, no roundabouts, right turns & in some cases no traffic lights.

[BigRooster]

Well ithink the answers to that one is speed .. How many times have U been on motorway doing 70 a thinking to yourself in barely moving untill the traffic brakes... Then everything seems to come very quickly to you.
My point is you will never hear of traffic police pulling someone for smoking when driving when clearly to take a fag from a packet light it and hold it must be clearly distracting. You will see people on there mobiles but not as many people smoking.

[hc4361]

Dropping a lit fag is a real hazard.

[Buenchico]

From the advice that the Crown Prosecution Service provides to its staff:

"There are decided cases that provide some guidance as to the driving that courts will regard as careless or inconsiderate and the following examples are typical of what we are likely to regard as careless driving:
overtaking on the inside;
driving inappropriately close to another vehicle;
inadvertently driving through a red light;
emerging from a side road into the path of another vehicle;
tuning a car radio;
using a hand-held mobile phone or other hand-held electronic equipment when the driver was avoidably distracted by that use; and
selecting and lighting a cigarette or similar when the driver was avoidably distracted by that use.
These examples are merely indicative of what can amount to careless driving. Note that some of these examples also fall within the examples of dangerous driving. It is necessary to put the facts into context, decide the degree to which the standard of driving fell below that required, and consider whether the particular facts of the case warrant a charge of careless or dangerous driving"

[hc4361]

There has been plenty of reports in the news that smoking whilst driving could result in a charge of Driving Without Due Care and Attention, such as this one
http://www.telegraph....ak-rules-of-road.html

[sherrardk]

Driving with five children squabbling is definitely a distraction (they were all at it the other day and I misjudged where the end of the car and the wall of the house were).

[Psybbo]

I smoke but not when driving or as a passenger. The scariest thing I have seen was a lorrydriver drinking a mug of coffee while driving at70mph

[bibblebub]

there's a possibility (maybe close to zero) that all smoking in cars will be banned http://www.bbc.co.uk/...hern-ireland-15723367

[chrissa1]

Why don't we make it a law that we all drive by ourselves. No radios, no passengers to talk to us, thus becoming a distraction?? Oh and black out the side windows so the scenery can't distract us. S'truth.

[hc4361]

Only if you live in Northern Ireland.

[vulcan]

The big difference is a cigarette takes seconds to light, people are on their phones for several minutes.

[jomifl]

Reading a novel whilst driving along a motorway, I was quite distracted by someone doing this.

[welshlibranr]

Have to admit that I do smoke whilst driving sometimes, but never use my phone, unlike lots and lots of drivers, I see lots of them every day!..........

[sherrardk]

I once saw someone driving a can with a phone at each ear - not overly sure how he was doing it (also saw a dog driving a milk float, but that was funny).

[craft1948]

I smoke whilst driving, but never light a cigarette whilst moving.

[EcclesCake]

My Mother never drove and had no concept of what it was to be a young and inexperienced driver. She would demand I drove her into central London or to a distant town, all the while she would be wittering away and want to know why I wouldn't look at her when she was talking to me.

[welshlibranr]

craft, me neither, I light my cigarette before I move off, have my ash tray open, and us it!...never throw out my cigarette ends, as many do!....empty my ashtray daily!....no problem!..........

[SlackAlice]

just got my newish car, no bloody ashtray!!!

[TWR]

Lorry driver? 70mph, I think you have that wrong Sibton.

[BigRooster]

I agree with welshlibranr that if you have lit your fag before you start your journey then the issue not so bad.
But I still feel that because there are millions on the road who smoke that the police are reluctant to pull them over but if your eating an apple or banana you have a better chance of being pulled.