In-Car Smoking

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Now that the use of mobile phones in our cars is banned, and eating apples or snacks whilst driving is also punishable with fines and penalty points, I consider it is about time that SMOKING IN CARS is also banned and punished with penalty points plus the ultimate possibility of disqualification.
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Oops ! .. I guess I will really have upset the “apple cart” by expressing that opinion.
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But lets just look at the situation and the possible consequences .. .

Roads are busier than ever, with high traffic levels ( particularly on the Motorways) and when an accident does happen the results can be fatal and catastrophic. Add a lighted cigarette to the equation and the result can be compounded out of all proportion.
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Generally it is the older and more mature driver (both sexes) who have this particular personal habit/addiction, for you have only to look around you, particularly in car parks alongside Super Market Food Stores, and you will see shoppers of both sexes ( yes in B J) breaking their necks to get out side of the automatic doors and “light-up”.. followed by the huge gasps of delight and deep inhaling. Invariably they also drive away, with the lighted cigarette still in one hand, thro restricted multi parking areas.
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Every car with a built-in cigarette lighter will only serve to exacerbate the situation. I say to the manufacturers, “leave them out and reduce the car cost“. - Ha! Haa! .. No chance of that happening .. ..
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Surely in today’s fast moving, intense, road traffic conditions, with speed cameras and the like, this personal habit should be constrained. I don’t have any factual statistics on car accidents created by drivers or their passengers having lighted cigarettes to back up my view and certainly smokers will invariably quote an infringement of their individual human rights etc , however,, when driving and switching lanes in fast moving traffic, moving into/away from roundabouts , chicanes, parking and reversing, driving with young children on board etc., there is always a possibility /need for instant emergency/evasive action and a lighted cigarette will only compound the situation -

I am not just advocating the CAR DRIVER ABSTAIN from smoking -on the move - but also EACH of the individual car passengers

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Not conducive to having such an unconstrained ignition source “in hand” !! . Surely NO ONE can justifiably deny this ?
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