It’s a distraction, the same as using a cell phone while driving, claim state reps John McKeon (D-Essex) and Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), who are co-sponsoring a bill that would impose $250 fines on those caught with lighted cigarettes behind the wheels of their own cars. The bill is given scant chance of passage — this year, at least (“No butts behind wheel? N.J. moves on smokers”, AP/MSNBC, Jul. 25; “Jersey going too far with anti-smoking bill” (editorial), Camden Courier-Post, Jul. 27; Reason “Hit and Run”, Jul. 25; Outside the Beltway, Jul. 25). Blog reaction has been overwhelmingly negative. Mark at Curious Character (Jul. 27) believes “it’s bad policy to pass laws that you can’t (and won’t) be able to enforce”. Functional Ambivalent (Jul. 26) points out that a study of drivers’ distraction-related accidents shows drivers’ fumbling with climate controls and stereo systems causes many more accidents than fumbling with cigarettes, but no one is proposing to ban music in cars (yet). Jeff Goldstein (Jul. 25) sees a Kelo angle, while KipEsquire (Jul. 25) points out that smokers allowed to indulge in their habit make calmer drivers than those suffering from prolonged nicotine deprivation. For more on the ever-widening reach of smoking bans, see our tobacco page, including Jul. 12, 2005 and Jul. 29, 2004 (smoking in apartments and condos), Jun. 24, 2004 (on the beach), and May 29, 2004 (in cars when children are present).
N.J. solons: let’s ban smoking while driving
It’s a distraction, the same as using a cell phone while driving, claim state reps John McKeon (D-Essex) and Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), who are co-sponsoring a bill that would impose $250 fines on those caught with lighted cigarettes behind the wheels of their own cars. The bill is given scant chance of passage — this […]
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