ASHTRAYS and lighters in cars may become defunct following law changes designed to stamp out smoking when driving.
The effects of the recent introduction of the new Highway Code are already being felt amongst car buyers, according to a survey conducted by Motorpoint, the UK’s largest car supermarket. It revealed that 75% of people would now purchase a car without an ashtray.
The Highway Code, recently updated for the first time in eight years, states that motorists who smoke at the wheel are to be prosecuted. For the second time this year, a constraint has been imposed on drivers who light up whilst at the wheel, following the smoking ban which came into force on July 1, prohibiting company car drivers from reaching for a cigarette if they have passengers in the vehicle.
David Shelton, managing director of Motorpoint, said: ‘With the changes in the law which we have seen this year, there is going to be a noticeable change in the way that motorists behave whilst at the wheel, as the push for increased driver safety becomes ever more prevalent. It is only a matter of time before we see a power unit as standard, rather than a lighter, in the thousands of vehicles which we sell each year across the UK.’ (Motorpoint: October 23).
If you have any comments on this article and would like to let us know please click here
