Automotive

Why You Shouldn’t Smoke and Drive

While driving, you use at least four out of your five senses. Sight, hearing, and touching are the most important. You constantly need to be aware of your surroundings, keep an eye on the road and listen to the sounds around to help you navigate the area safely. You touch the car’s steering wheels and know where all the buttons are, as total control is crucial to drive around safely.

If you’re distracted, there’s an increased chance of getting into a car accident, which is why it’s recommended not to smoke and drive, as this comes with its own set of disadvantages.

Learn more about the dangers of smoking while driving:

Dangers of Smoking While Driving

Smoking kills slowly, but that risk increases as you drive with a cigarette in hand. If you take a second to think about the risks you impose when you light up a cigarette while driving, maybe you’ll change your mind.

Visual & Cognitive Distraction

While driving, you’ve got to keep an eye on the road, make sure everything is running smoothly. If you’re going to smoke, first you’ll be distracted trying to find the pack and lighter. Secondly, you’ll be distracted and focused on lighting up the cigarette. Lastly, the smoke in the car might affect your eyesight, which is risky and might lead to accidents.

Manual Distraction

You’re manually distracted trying to light up the cigarette using both of your hands, then one hand is used to smoke and the other on the steering wheel. The act is extremely dangerous as you need both hands on the steering wheel to fully control the car. Instead, you’re focused on the cigarette and disposing of the ash.

Cigarette Burns

On the other hand, lighting up cigarettes could affect the interior of your car. That’s because the ash might fall inside the car, leading to burns to the seats or your clothes. Smoking could also start a fire at any time, but it’s mainly a risk when driving your car. Can you imagine what would happen if the cigarette fell while you’re on a highway?

Secondhand Smoking

Is there anyone with you in the car? That’s a question to keep in mind when lighting up a cigarette because if you’re smoking, they’re exposed to the harmful chemicals as well.

This is crucial for children in the car as it affects their health, leading to plenty of problems, including asthma attacks, respiratory infections, ear infections, and more. For that reason, smoking is prohibited in some countries when children are present in the car.

Other Risky Distractions While Driving

Smoking isn’t the only thing that distracts you from the road. We all know the risks of using our smartphones for texts or calls while driving, but you can be easily distracted when eating, listening to loud music, or following a GPS. All of this leads to accidents worldwide, therefore it’s essential to stay alert while driving.

Bottom Line

If you’re a smoker, it’s always better to stop for a cigarette than light one up while driving. This will decrease the risk of accidents, keep you focused, and avoid burns in the car. In addition, it will keep other passengers safe from becoming secondhand smokers.

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