A study conducted by the Esure Car Insurance found out that around 3 million UK motorists have had accidents, near misses or lapses in concentration due to in-car smoking distractions. And 45 percent of these motorists who smoke and were questioned in the study said that they will ignore the new rules set out in the revised Highway Code and will continue to light-up behind the wheel. It was also amazing to note that 68 percent of these smokers have not even read the existing Highway Code since passing their driving test.

The new Highway Code states that smoking inside the car is an action that may be considered as not haaving proper control of the car. The study conducted by Esure reveals a series of potentially dangerous behaviors related to in-car smoking and these are as follows:

•    80 percent of the questioned motorists admit to taking their hands off the wheel to light a cigarette.
•    75 percent of the motorists think its okay to smoke while driving on the motorway.
•    46 percent of motorists confess to dropping their cigarette in the car and over a quarter of them have taken their eyes off the road to retrieve their cigarette.
•    45 percent also admit of disposing their cigarette butt by throwing it out of the car which is quite dangerous if not extinguished.
•    88 percent of the smokers have also admitted that they are likely to smoke in the car when they are stressed.

With regards to attitude:

•    47 percent of the motorists are pro-smoking in cars while 53 percent are against it which clearly shows how opinions are divided on the issue.
•    66 percent of non-smokers are hoping to see an official in-car smoking ban introduced as compared to the 11 percent of smokers.
•    And over a quarter of those people who smoke in their cars are blaming the recent laws that banned smoking in public places. This has left them with very few options of which include in-car smoking.
•    Over a quarter of motorists light up even with children with them inside the car that is despite the fact that the children passengers can prove to be major distractions. They are simply doubling the risk.

The study also reveals that men are the most rebellious when it comes to in-car smoking with 48 percent saying that they would continue to smoke inside the car and just risk police intervention rather than follow the new rules. Also, men are most likely to take their hands off the wheel while driving to either light a cigarette or retrieve a cigarette.

In addition the study was able to show that the motorists from Wales were mostly against smoking in car with 68 percent showing their support for an official smoking ban. And in contrast only 48 percent of respondents in the South West have expressed their disapproval of the ban.

It was also found out that 67 percent of those living in Wales and 38 percent of those living in East Anglia were mostly likely to smoke with children in the car. The Londoners were shown as the riskiest drivers on the road with 100 percent admitting to taking their hands off the wheel to light a cigarette while 86 percent thinks that its fine to smoke while driving on the motorway.

The study also reveals the situations when people are most likely to smoke while driving and these are as follow:

• On long journeys (92 percent)
• When stuck in traffic (90 percent)
• When feeling stressed (88 percent)
• In an old car (84 percent)
• On the way home from work (77 percent)
• On the way to work (76 percent)
• On the way to/from a party/club (70 percent)
• When feeling tired, to help them stay awake (56 percent)
• When driving to a new location and causing anxiety (53 percent)