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Date Published: 20/12/2021
Drivers in Spain may be fined for smoking behind the wheel
Smoking while driving may result in a penalty if the motorist is ‘distracted’
While it is not expressly prohibited, the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) in Spain has warned that officers can indeed fine drivers for smoking behind the wheel if they believe it is causing a distraction which jeopardises road safety.
Smoking while driving may indeed be outlawed in Spain before too long more, as the Ministry of Health has drawn up a number of proposals to stamp out tobacco use, one of which includes increasing the number of smoke-free spaces, including private vehicles.
A recent report showed that lighting a cigarette takes 4.1 seconds, and if a car is travelling at 100 kilometres per hour, this results in the driver moving 113 metres without his full attention on the road. Furthermore, 60% of all accidents in Spain and a staggering 30% of fatalities on the roads are caused by driver distractions, including smoking.
The Traffic Regulations stipulate that “the driver of a vehicle is obliged to maintain their own freedom of movement, the necessary field of vision and permanent attention when driving to guarantee their own safety, that of the rest of the occupants of the vehicle and the other users of the road”, and while smoking isn’t prohibited, the DGT strongly recommends the motorists abstain, particularly when travelling in a car with children.
It is important to note that it is expressly forbidden to throw objects from a car, including cigarette butts, and doing so could result in a fine of 500 euros and the loss of 6 points.
The Ministry of the Environment has confirmed that 3% of fires in Spain originate from discarded cigarettes.
Image: Archive
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