The dangers of throwing lit cigarettes and other objects from cars and trucks
Having personally seen grass fires started by cigarettes that threatened the children of Franklin Farms Herndon lawyer Doug Landau takes it personally when he sees motorists throwing any lit object from their cars. Not only is it littering, it is dangerous. If smokers cannot stand the sight, smell or feel of their own cigarette butts, what makes them think other motorists or their neighbors want them ?!!?
The Fairfax County Parkway is lined with the small, white cigarette butts. When the still smoldering butts are tossed in the the vicinity of dried leaves, grass or gasoline, they can prove deadly. While Landau knows that adults can make decisions about their vices and health, when such decisions impact others, then such decision making ceases to be personal, but instead becomes communal. Having seen motorists swerve suddenly to avoid a flaming cigarette tossed from a car moving at high speed, Landau knows that a wreck, devastation and permanent injury and even death can come to innocent drivers who just happen to be traveling near an inconsiderate smoker.
Any ignited object in a car can be dangerous. The Herndon Connection recently reported on the Involuntary Manslaughter charges filed in a case where the lit objects being tossed from a moving vehicle caused a young man to jump out of the back of a truck bed and died of head trauma. The case involved the underage consumption of alcohol and throwing fireworks, which is illegal. The Assistant Commonwealth Attorney pointed out that, “It was a lit object on fire When you throw a firework in the direction you’re traveling, it’s feasible that it could fall back at you Somebody should know that somebody could get hurt.” Indeed, any lit object coming from a moving car, truck or other vehicle can cause devastation and death. If you do choose to smoke while driving, please keep the cigarettes inside, and don’t toss the smoldering butts where they can cause harm and further pollution.