As a Houston semi truck accident lawyer it is my business to understand the ins and outs of driving and accidents. I'd like to think I've become somewhat of an expert on those things accident related and can speak knowledgeably on the topic.
Time and again I've cautioned readers on some of the more obvious causes of accidents - everything from drinking and driving to distracted driving.
But as of yet we have not discussed smoking and driving - and this issue comes with its own set of concerns. Smoking and driving is a form of distracted driving. First the driver has to locate his or her cigarettes and lighter.
This might call for a quick glimpse around the car and taking one's eyes off the road. Then the cigarette has to be lit and again the driver must look away from the road to do this. Now, does the driver use an ashtray in the car or open the window - a crack or fully? How many times must the driver look away to see if he or she needs to tap the ashes off the end of the cigarette? And when the driver is finally done with the cigarette does he or she put it out in an ashtray in the car or let it go out the window?
Have you ever been with a driver that is smoking? I've seen driver's who have dropped a lit cigarette on their laps or somewhere else in the car.
Talk about distracted driving - what could be worse than an anxious driver trying to prevent his car from starting on fire while driving. Too, it's not uncommon for cigarettes to find their way back into the car when they're tossed out the window - and smolder somewhere in the back seat before actually starting a fire.
Yep. Smoking and driving is distracted driving - and therefore unsafe. Do not smoke and if you do, try to avoid it while driving for your own sake and the sake of those with whom you share the road.
