In what could be the first such ban in the world, the two judges said on Monday that the human mind cannot focus on two things simultaneously and those who smoke while driving are more prone to accidents. The new measure would be effective from April 9 and only covers New Delhi.
Additionally, the court also issued prohibition on using mobile phones while driving. If an offender is caught more than five times, they will have their license revoked, the court said.
The death toll on city roads surged more than 1,900 annually that forced the High Court to issue new rules. The city's laws had not been updated since their introduction 20 years ago and many of them were largely ignored.
According to AP reports, a similar ban is also considered by several U.S. states including Vermont that plans to ban all activities like smoking, eating, drinking, reading, writing or even interacting with pets while driving.
