Safe Speed Forums

I don't know much about Adfero news, but they are some sort of agency and the story has appeared on at least two web sites:

http://www.manchester.com/National_News ... 48096.html

Smoking in cars 'should be banned'

14/05/2007

A leading road safety campaign group has today called for a ban on smoking in private cars.

Smoking will be banned in all enclosed public places and workplaces in England from July 1st, but the Local Authority Road Safety Officers' Association (LARSOA) believes further measures are needed.

It is urging the government to ban smoking while driving on the basis of it putting motorists at risk of being involved in an accident.

The organisation is also calling for anyone who eats and drinks at the wheel to be subject to prosecution.

But the policy suggestion has been dismissed by another road safety group, Safe Speed, which accuses the LARSOA of "playing with fire".

According to LARSOA, attempting to light cigarettes while at the wheel and throwing them out of open windows are both potential factors which could lead to accidents.

Simon Ettinghausen, a spokesman for the organisation, said: "Driving is a complicated business especially with the high volume of traffic motorists have to contend with these days it’s not an area where you can multi-task.

"Drivers shouldn’t be trying to smoke or eat when they're behind the wheel, they should be concentrating on the task in hand and the road ahead. Smoking can be particularly dangerous when lit cigarettes are thrown from open windows, they can hit the car behind causing that driver to get a shock, they can be dropped in the car itself or blown back in by the wind leading to the possibility of injury or fire."

The Department of Health has confirmed that it is looking into the proposal, which is already set to become a reality for all commercial drivers in July.

But Safe Speed founder Paul Smith has reacted with incredulity at the suggestion.

"I'm amazed that LARSOA should propose such a thing it shows the tragic state of road safety in the UK.

"Smoking at the wheel isn't a known cause of crashes the risk is purely theoretical. The problem with chasing theoretical risks is that life saving resources are taken away from real causes of risk."

He added: "We would also need to consider the new crash risks that a ban on smoking at the wheel might bring. Smokers can feel agitated or anxious when they need a cigarette and the last thing we need is more agitated or anxious drivers.

"All things considered a ban on drivers smoking is highly likely to increase road risks and I'm disgusted that LARSOA don't know better. They are playing with fire."

And on:
http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/manches ... 085169.htm

_________________
Paul Smith
Our scrap speed cameras petition got over 28,000 sigs
The Safe Speed campaign demands a return to intelligent road safety

"Simon Ettinghausen, a spokesman for the organisation, said: "Driving is a complicated business especially with the high volume of traffic motorists have to contend with these days it’s not an area where you can multi-task. "


Perhaps drivers should also be concentrating on the environment rather than looking at their speedo all the time to check if they're just a couple of MPH over the speed limit.

At least he recognises that driving is a complicated business.

Can someone not bring back common sense into this country?