Taxi drivers in Coventry, United Kingdom may soon be prohibited from using electronic cigarettes in their cars. Coventry City Council has proposed to amend the regulations for taxi licenses in the city, including the ban on drivers using electronic cigarettes and similar products when having passengers in their vehicles.
A report by the Coventry City Council has suggested that using e-cigarettes on the job could make taxi drivers appear unprofessional and could potentially distract their focus from the road. The cabinet member responsible for urban services is expected to approve these changes at a meeting on August 3rd.
Private hire drivers and vehicle owners, including Hackney carriages and minicabs, who have obtained approval from the committee will be affected by these changes. Officials stated in a report that it is currently illegal for anyone to smoke tobacco products in the workplace.
Private hire and Hackney carriage vehicles are classified as workplaces, and any use of tobacco products on licensed private hire and Hackney carriage vehicles is illegal. However, while there is no clear evidence that e-cigarette products are harmful to users or cause passive smoking, private hire and Hackney carriage drivers are professional drivers and their attention to safe vehicle use may be distracted if they use e-cigarettes while driving.
Passengers at a recent city taxi forum expressed concerns that professional drivers who are seen using e-cigarettes in their vehicles while waiting for fares may not present a professional image to potential customers. The discussion was led by a member of the City Services Cabinet.
Both the Suffolk County Council and the Mendip District Council have banned taxi drivers from using e-cigarettes. In the UK, it is not illegal to use e-cigarettes while driving, but if they contribute to a car accident, drivers may be prosecuted.
Last year, Nick Lloyd, road safety director for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, told The Sun newspaper that distracted driving is the primary cause of road accidents in the UK. Any secondary activity that takes one's eyes off the road can be highly dangerous.
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