Dubai: A man smoking while driving down a Bur Dubai street. He puffs and blows and throws a butt out the window, making Bur Dubai his own ashtray.
It seems a common practice nowadays. Are motorists who smoke on the road on their way to perdition?
Smoking while driving is dangerous. It is against the law to smoke in a vehicle with a child of up to 12 years in it. Based on global studies, 600,000 non-smokers die every year just by inhaling second-hand smoke. Despite this, many people are smoking saying it’s the only way of coping with the stress of daily life. Is it justified?
Community reporters share their stories.
Case 1
Joey Lanuza, a Filipino entrepreneur, has been smoking for over 25 years now. He said, “I used to smoke even while driving as I was not aware of the dangers it posed. It made me feel relaxed. It was a cool thing to do!”
On taking his driving lessons, the instructor told them about the hazards of smoking while driving. He said, “Taking the cigarette out of the pack, lighting it, puffing it, flicking the ash and disposing the cigarette butt, all these activities take away a few seconds from one’s concentration on driving. Besides, the smoke that we puff out can also get into our eyes and momentarily blur our vision. It can cause a road accident. He warned us that getting caught smoking while driving carries a stiff fine ... rightfully so.”
He said: “Motorists who smoke most probably will flick the cigarette butts on the road. This is an irresponsible act. Fellow motorists close-by may accidentally get hit by this most likely still lit butt, and cause them to panic and lose their concentration.”
Case 2
Bashar Salman, a Lebanese operations manager, said: “I smoke while driving just because I am used to this bad habit for 15 years. How do I feel? I do not feel anything, it’s just a fake feeling of satisfaction.”
Salman has learnt from driving school about the dangers of smoking while driving. He said: “A smoker while driving can become unfocused and the risk to get into an accident is huge. After all, both your hands are occupied and sometimes smoking can make your reflexes slow and hence poses a threat as you drive.”
He said it’s dangerous to throw a burning object out on the roadside. He said: “It could start a forest fire or cause a home to burn down. The best solution to stop this menace is to ban smoking while driving.”
Case 3
C. Sunil Roy, Indian, observed that smoking while driving seems to be a regular practice for many drivers. He said: “Most of them do not realise the harm they are doing themselves as well as to others.”
He noticed that after smoking, drivers throw the burning cigarette butt out of the window. He said: “It can cause a fire if it is in the way of another passing car. It is essential that drivers take responsibility and stop indulging in practices like these. There is plenty of time to smoke, if you want, after you reach your destination. Alternatively, park your car somewhere, smoke and then drive.”
Smoking and stress
Do cigarettes REALLY help someone de-stress and relax? It’s not true, according to C.V. Manohar, stress and yoga therapist at Al Musalla Medical Centre. He said: “Those who have tension while driving should not smoke; otherwise, they’ll end up in an accident! Smoking distracts the driver and mild ‘pickup’ sensation of nicotine will naturally transfer to the speed of driving, too. Smoking in an air-conditioned car will reduce the driver’s visibility. The vehicle will be filled with carbon monoxide toxicity; driver and passengers will be inhaling the same. If it’s a long drive the condition is worse.”
He stressed that habitual chain-smokers have to take medical support to stop it.
According to P.M. Abdul Razak, assistant manager-instructor at training centre, Emirates Driving Institute, smoking while driving could be dangerous. He said: “Smoking in a closed space like in a car could lead to serious health issues especially to co-passengers as it will not only fill the environment with nicotine but also transmit the disease of the smoker, if any.”
Cigarettes can also cause fires if the ash is not properly disposed. Abdul Razak said: “While driving, people are not able to put out the ash properly and as a result, ash falls down or flies in the air. This smouldering ash can lead to a fire as most of the things in the car are easy agents to catch fire. The driver will immediately start a reflex action to prevent burn/fire without thinking that they are driving, which leads to lack of control of vehicle/focus ahead and causes accidents.
“Cigarette butts fly from the car and may land in another car, which has windows rolled down. It could result in the lack of control by that car’s driver who will be taken by surprise or make the passengers in the car panic.
“Also, flying cigarette butts can land in a goods vehicle, which carry gas cylinders, chemicals or fuels, leading to a very disastrous incident. They can land on the fuel tank area where fuel is spilled and may lead to an explosion. It can enter the engine compartment of the vehicle behind through the front grill and may cause a fire, too.” Don’t drive and smoke.
