Some time ago, a motorcyclist was forced to slow down because cigarette ash from the driver in front of him got into his eyes. Incidents like this often occur on highways, especially in big cities with heavy traffic. Smoking while driving has become a common sight in Indonesia, but many people still ignore the dangers it poses to other road users. Of course, this phenomenon is very disturbing, especially when driving, and on several occasions when encountering someone who ignores good driving rules such as smoking, we often want to reprimand or warn the driver who violates the rules but it is still difficult for several reasons. Therefore, there needs to be an effective movement to reduce such things to prevent and even reduce the occurrence of traffic violations that seem small, such as smoking while driving, which will have a very big impact if there is no effective action to handle incidents like this in the future. Of course, we hope that traffic will be a safe and comfortable thing for everyone when driving.

I believe that smoking while driving is a dangerous behavior that can threaten safety while driving on the road because it can distract the driver’s concentration, endanger other road users, and increase the risk of accidents. In many studies that the cause of accidents on the road especially for drivers is the loss of concentration while driving, things that may seem trivial such as smoking are very likely to reduce driver concentration while driving where automatically if someone smokes the most important thing is driving with one hand and the other hand is of course holding a cigarette, also the smoke that is produced can also hit the driver’s eyes and of course can also lose driving concentration which is also an important thing that we need to improve when we drive, in addition to distracting the driver’s concentration itself, smoking can also disturb some people around him, through cigarette ash that may hit the driver behind him. This phenomenon is also the same as using a cell phone while driving which can divide attention and inhibit reaction time that occurs while driving. Therefore, incidents like this cannot be taken lightly because they can cause very serious danger.

Smoking while driving can reduce concentration and control of the vehicle. According to Law Number 22 of 2009 concerning Traffic and Road Transportation, every driver is required to drive with full concentration. Activities such as smoking can disrupt a driver’s focus. When smoking, drivers typically use only one hand to control the vehicle, which reduces balance and reaction time, especially for motorcyclists.

Especially, cigarette smoke and ash can also endanger other road users. Windblown cigarette ash can hit the eyes of drivers behind them, causing irritation or even temporarily impairing vision. This is especially dangerous in heavy traffic conditions, when drivers need full concentration to avoid accidents. In fact, Minister of Transportation Regulation Number 12 of 2019 stipulates that motorcyclists are prohibited from engaging in activities that disrupt concentration, including smoking while driving.

Furthermore, this violation also has legal consequences. Under Article 283 of Law Number 22 of 2009, drivers who engage in activities that disrupt concentration can be subject to a maximum of three months’ imprisonment or a maximum fine of IDR 750,000. This shows that smoking while driving is not only dangerous, but also violates applicable laws.

Some argue that smoking while driving is a form of individual freedom and does not always lead to accidents. This statement is not entirely incorrect, considering that not all drivers who smoke are directly involved in dangerous incidents. However, various scientific studies show that any form of distraction while driving is significantly correlated with an increased risk of accidents. Traffic safety data consistently records that distraction while driving contributes to thousands of deaths each year. Furthermore, experts emphasize that distraction can divert a driver’s attention visually, manually, and cognitively—three crucial aspects of driving safety. Even brief distractions can reduce response time and increase the potential for fatal accidents. Therefore, while the practice of smoking while driving is often considered trivial, the risks it poses objectively far outweigh any perceived inconvenience to the individual.

Smoking while driving is a dangerous behavior that can threaten the safety of both yourself and other road users. Therefore, concrete action is needed to reduce this violation, which is still common on the road, especially considering the high number of traffic accidents. One potential solution is the development of an evidence-based traffic violation reporting application. Although Indonesia already has an Electronic Traffic Law Enforcement (ETLE) system, its implementation is still limited and has not yet reached all regions evenly.

Through this application, the public can directly take photos or videos of violations and report them in real time. Each report is then verified by authorities before violators are subject to sanctions according to applicable regulations. This system can complement ETLE, enabling more extensive and effective traffic monitoring. Furthermore, the use of devices such as mobile phones and dashcams allows the public to report violations directly with greater ease. However, this system must still be equipped with a strict verification mechanism and privacy protections to prevent misuse of reports.

With active public participation and the support of appropriate technology, traffic monitoring will no longer be solely dependent on law enforcement. Therefore, it is time for the government and the public to work together to create a more effective system to improve road safety. Ultimately, safety is not just an individual responsibility, but a shared responsibility that must be realized through concrete actions and consistent commitment.

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