Drivers may no longer be able to blink or breathe while driving for fear of posing a traffic danger if a trend toward smoking bans continues.

A recent Associated Press article reported that a new law enacted in New Delhi, India bans smoking while driving. Cell phone usage while behind the wheel has already been banned in the city. Violators of the law would pay $32 and could risk having their license revoked after more than five violations.

Although Washington state voters passed I-901 in November 2005, which banned smoking inside public places and workplaces, they have yet to extend smoking bans to more private areas such as vehicles or even homes. Even so, laws like these may not be far away.

A February article of the Rock Hill, S.C. Herald reported that Vermont, Maryland and Connecticut lawmakers were considering a measure to ban smoking and other various activities, including playing an instrument, while driving.

Banning cell phone use while driving might be justified. A University of Utah study cited in the Herald determined that talking on a cell phone while driving is as dangerous as driving drunk, even with the use of hands-free phones.

However, making this same connection between smoking and driving is still a long way off. It's going to be tough to determine exactly how much brainpower is required to puff on that cancer stick, and even harder to pinpoint the dangers this poses to driving.

How far will these regulations extend? In the end, every driver should be responsible for his or her behavior behind the wheel. Hopefully anyone on the road can already recognize the danger of, say, playing an instrument while driving.

It seems piling on the regulations won't help save any lives: it will just frustrate drivers and needlessly occupy enforcement officers. But who knows, maybe the extra cash the ban will generate in New Delhi is worth the trouble.