Samarinda Police Threatens To Ticket Smokers While Driving

Head of the Samarinda Police Traffic Unit Kompol Creativeto Sonitehe Gulo. BETWEEN

Samarinda City Police Traffic Unit (Polresta) reminded road users who were still smoking while driving that they would ticket them. "This is the same as doing something that causes drivers not to concentrate while driving. Based on traffic regulations, of course, they will be subject to a fine,” said Head of the Samarinda Police Traffic Unit Kompol Creato Sonitehe Gulo in Samarinda, Antara, Friday, May 5. Kompol Creative Sonitehe Gulo said that smoking in conjunction with driving activities was prohibited in Law Number 22 of 2009 concerning Road Traffic and Transportation (LLAJ) Article 106 paragraph (1). This provision stipulates that everyone driving a motorized vehicle on the road must drive the vehicle fairly and with full concentration. In that article, he said, there was no clear way to break the smoking ban. However, smoking is assumed to interfere with concentration when driving. The violation of the article can be charged by Article 283 with the threat of imprisonment for 3 months and a fine of up to IDR 750 thousand. "As referred to in Article 106 paragraph (1) it is sentenced to a maximum imprisonment of 3 months or a maximum fine of Rp750,000.00," explained Gulo. In addition, he said, smoking has an impact on the surrounding environment, such as cigarette ash flying everywhere, of course it will disturb other motorists. This could cause traffic accidents. It is also said that monitoring of smoking drivers is also monitored through electronic traffic law enforcement (ETLE) so that this can be controlled remotely even though the ETLE system is still in the trial period.

"Regarding the ticket, we will also do it manually and ETLE because we see the impact on the use of ETLE which has been running so far, 300 electronic tickets have been sent to the public," said Gulo.