Did you know that throwing cigarette butts out of the car window can get you fined?

Did you know that throwing cigarette butts out of a car window can get you fined? Just like smoking in the car, throwing cigarette butts out of the window can be a cause of distraction at the wheel with fatal consequences. Not only because of the distraction itself, but also because the butt can be blown back into the cabin by the air, or become the cause of a fire near the road in question.

Throwing cigarette butts out of the car window is one of the uncivil behaviours that the Spanish Directorate-General for Traffic (DGT) penalises with serious sanctions, both financial and through the loss of some points from the driving licence. Once again, the DGT has wanted to raise drivers’ awareness and has published a post on its official Twitter profile outlining some of the consequences of throwing a cigarette butt out of the car window.

This is the fine the Directorate-General for Traffic can impose on you for throwing cigarette butts out of the window

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The Directorate-General for Traffic, and specifically the General Traffic Regulation, establishes that throwing a cigarette butt out of the car window carries a fine of 200 euros and the loss of four points from the driving licence. It is important to note that this penalty also applies to any object thrown out of the vehicle window, whatever it may be.

We would like to remind you that throwing objects out of the window is a very dangerous practice, as it can cause accidents on the road, but it can also start a fire inside your vehicle if it is blown back in by an air current, and it can start a fire near the road. This is more evident in summer, when the land bordering the roads is drier and can catch fire much more easily. Nor should we forget some of the most vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and motorcyclists.

A few weeks ago we told you that, as indicated in article 18.1 of the General Traffic Regulation, “the driver of a vehicle is obliged to maintain their own freedom of movement, the necessary field of vision, and constant attention to driving that guarantee their own safety, that of the other occupants of the vehicle and that of the other road users”. This means you should not smoke, eat or drink while driving. Take note and avoid putting your life at risk!