“Well here’s another question, “Is it illegal to smoke and drive?”
Well, it’s not illegal to smoke and in the context of this question, we’ll include vaping and other such actions. No, there isn’t a specific offence of smoking whilst in the car, although you are commiting an offence if there are young people under 18 in the car. That is specifically an offence and that’s a £50 on the spot fine or £200 if it goes to court. That’s to protect young people and it would be better if you weren’t smoking or vaping, because that ultimately would protect you as well and save you an awful lot of money.
Again, it’s a distraction you can do without. So, apart from the major health risk to smokers and others around us, cigarettes and vapes are really a costly way to getting the hospital. So, if you drop a lighted cigar or an unlit cigar or a vape, if you drop that down on your lap or it goes on the floor of the car, that’s a big distraction and that’s taking away your attention from driving. So, if you desperately do need a cigarette or a vape, pull over somewhere and do that, but not whilst driving okay.”
