Smoking in Cars Carrying Children

Jamie_Carter

tinkledom wrote: »

I'm sorry to hear that, but in my opinion you are scaremongering.


Is there any definitive proof that because he inhaled 2nd hand smoke when young AND in the car, he has the problems today? Or is it simply an assumption?


There is NO medical evidence that can prove that smoking causes these problems.
The government and the doctors will try to tell you that there is, but none, as far as I know, ever published the proof other than statistics. And we all know how statistics can be interpreted depending on what you want them to show.
The government even blamed localised climate change on the number of cows in a particular area stating that they 'fart' too much.

You are burying your head in the sand if you really believe that.

Jamie_Carter

scaredofdebt wrote: »

Indeed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Killed_on_British_Roads.png

Fallen from around 8,000 deaths per year in the late 1960s to under 2,000 today, despite much greater vehicle use.

Thanks largely to government intervention.

No, its thanks mainly to safer vehicles, and better equipment, training, and procedures by the emergency services.

Jamie_Carter

redmike123 wrote: »

Whilst I agree that smoking in a car with children present is a bad idea, I really don't think its the role of Government to interfere in peoples lives to this extent.

Not even to protect the children (who don't have a choice but to breathe in the smoke)?

Hintza

samsmoot wrote: »

I'm apparently the only one who thinks the above figures are a cause for concern. The issue under discussion in this thread seems rather trivial in comparison.

The results are only meaningful if put in to context with the number of vehicles on the road or even better number of miles driven by those vehicles.

Lies damn lies and statistics.

samsmoot

Hintza wrote: »

The results are only meaningful if put in to context with the number of vehicles on the road or even better number of miles driven by those vehicles.

That would be like counting 6,000,000 holocaust deaths as meaningless because the number of gas chambers wasn't identified.

scaredofdebt

Jamie_Carter wrote: »

No, its thanks mainly to safer vehicles, and better equipment, training, and procedures by the emergency services.

Yes, largely due to government intervention.

Ebe_Scrooge

You have to be very careful with statistics, and car accident rates are a good example. Hypothetical example : 10 years ago there were 100 deaths on the roads. This year there were 102 deaths. Shock horror, deaths are increasing. But hang on, 10 years ago there were 1000 cars on the road, today there are a million. So actually, the percentage of deaths has fallen dramatically.

Or the drink drive statistics. Last year the police caught 1000 people drink driving, this year they caught none. Brilliant news. Oh, hang on, this year they didn't breathalyse anyone.

OK, these are somewhat "silly" figures, but the principle is the same. Numbers on their own mean nothing unless put into realistic context. With accident statistics this means number of cars AND number of miles travelled.

Jamie_Carter

scaredofdebt wrote: »

Yes, largely due to government intervention.

No actually. The increased safety in vehicles is mainly down to the car industry and various organisations around the world. The standards for vehicles sold in the UK are mainly determined by the EEC, and not our government. Although most of the safety systems used in vehicles are down to the manufacturer, and not any minimum standards.


The DOT, and local authorities do get a say on road standards, but much of that is also determined by the EEC.


As for rescue techniques and casualty care, these are mainly determined by the Fire and Ambulance services, with minimum government input. And public sector cutbacks are actually making things far worse.

Jamie_Carter

Ebe_Scrooge wrote: »

You have to be very careful with statistics, and car accident rates are a good example. Hypothetical example : 10 years ago there were 100 deaths on the roads. This year there were 102 deaths. Shock horror, deaths are increasing. But hang on, 10 years ago there were 1000 cars on the road, today there are a million. So actually, the percentage of deaths has fallen dramatically.

Or the drink drive statistics. Last year the police caught 1000 people drink driving, this year they caught none. Brilliant news. Oh, hang on, this year they didn't breathalyse anyone.

OK, these are somewhat "silly" figures, but the principle is the same. Numbers on their own mean nothing unless put into realistic context. With accident statistics this means number of cars AND number of miles travelled.

Very true. However deaths and serious injuries per mile travelled have massively improved. But this is mainly due to the reasons I mentioned earlier, rather than government intervention.

Hintza

samsmoot wrote: »

That would be like counting 6,000,000 holocaust deaths as meaningless because the number of gas chambers wasn't identified.

What an absurd statement!

In the 40's when road deaths peaked there were significantly less cars on the road than there are now. Deaths on the road are falling year on year and when measured against car miles they are even better.