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Road safety officers are calling on the government to ban smoking behind the wheel to cut the number of accidents.
Simon Ettinghausen, of the Local Authority Road Safety Officers' Association, said smoking was a dangerous distraction.

He said there were concerns the ban on smoking in public places from 1 July might tempt more drivers to light up.

But Forest, a pro-smoking group, opposed the idea while the Association of British Drivers called it absurd.

Representatives from the Local Authority Road Safety Officers' Association are to meet government officials in coming weeks to discuss the proposal.

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Isn't this taking the smoking ban a step too far?

Sam Davidson, Bournemouth

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The Department of Health said there were no plans to introduce a ban but if the association submitted a proposal, it would consider one.

Mr Ettinghausen said: "Anything you do in the car is a distraction, whether it's eating, drinking, using a mobile phone or smoking. But smoking in particular can be very dangerous."

"If you drop a lit cigarette, your concentration on driving will immediately vanish."

But Simon Clark, of Forest, called for evidence to prove it was dangerous and said there were already laws in place to deal with careless drivers.

'Ban it' mentality

He said: "Are we going to ban people retuning the radio or changing a CD?"

Hugh Bladon, of the Association of British Drivers (ABD), said: "We've got a 'ban it' mentality in this country.

We've got a 'ban it' mentality in this country

Hugh Bladon, Association of British Drivers

Is a ban wise?

"I personally don't think the ABD will want to know about banning smoking."

The proposal has been supported by campaign group Action on Smoking and Health.

The Highway Code lists smoking while driving as a distraction.

In less than seven weeks, smoking in all enclosed public places will be banned across England, bringing it in line with the rest of the UK.

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SMOKING BAN

KEY STORIES
England smoke ban to start 1 July
Ban 'threatens environment'
Campaigners welcome ban
How MPs voted
Cigarette-buying age rise backed
Q&A: Ban on smoking in public

Smokers speak
Some smokers are outraged, while others welcome the ban

ACROSS THE UK
England smoke ban: Reactions
Ban 'helping smokers to give up'
Wristbands and beer gardens
NI smoking ban to be introduced
Smoking ban 'good for business'
Wales wins power for ban

PERSONAL STORIES
'If I had money I'd still smoke'
Head to head: the pros and cons
'Passive smoking cost me dearly'

HAVE YOUR SAY
Your views on a ban
Action Network: What you can do

ARCHIVE AND BACKGROUND
The way the British smoke
Passive smoking killing thousands
Timeline: Smoking and disease
Smoking curbs: The global picture

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Smoke Free England
Department of Health
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