Author:
ROBIN ROBERTS
The tougher law on smoking inside offices is turning Britain’s company car drivers into secret smokers who throw 29 million cigarette ends from their vehicles each year.
Along with the butts go 17.4 million food items and 5.2 million tissues as almost a fifth of drivers admit to littering the roads with their rubbish. Green Flag breakdown service today reveals Britain’s ‘carbage’ problem.
It found 11 million pieces of fruit, 4.5 million sweet wrappers and 2.9 million items of fast food such as burgers, pizza slices and fried chicken have been jettisoned through car windows by drivers in the last year.
Drivers excuse their actions by claiming they throw out items to prevent a smell building up (27%) and more than one in five (22%) claim it is to prevent their car becoming cluttered.
A lazy 17% of drivers said they couldn’t wait for a bin, while 16% claimed they couldn’t stop to deposit items because the road was too busy.
Miranda Schunke, spokesperson for Green Flag, said, “It is disgraceful that our roads are being clogged up with rubbish from motorists who are too lazy to find a bin.
“Not only is litter unsightly, it is hazardous to the wildlife that lives in our verges and hedgerows and can pose a risk to other road users. All drivers have a responsibility to keep our roads clean and safe.
“Motorists should also be aware if they eat, drink or smoke behind the wheel, they risk between three and nine penalty points for not driving with due care and attention.”
For the majority of drivers (58%), a £50 fine would be sufficient to stop them throwing litter from their vehicles.
However, for a third of drivers (33%) the threat of litter picking community service would be enough to stop them dumping rubbish from car windows.
Drivers can be issued with a £80 fixed penalty notice if caught dropping litter, or £100 from agents of London’s local authorities
The worst affected areas by drivers littering are London (21%) and the South East (21%) falling to just 15% in the North West, South West and Scotland. Wales, the Midlands and North East are in the middle with 16% admitting throwing out items.
Most company car policy documents define the car as a working space and the same rules apply in the cabin as in the office. See what other legislation could mean you loose your job in our business car law section.
