It is now illegal to smoke in a car (or other vehicle) carrying anyone under 18 years.  The law changed on 1st October 2015 to protect children and young people from the dangers of secondhand smoke.

Both the driver and the smoker could be fined £50.  The law applies to every driver in England and Wales, including those aged 17 years and those with a provisional driving licence.

The law applies:

• to any private vehicle that is enclosed wholly or partly by a roof
• when people have the windows or sunroof open, or the air conditioning on
• when someone sits smoking in the open doorway of a vehicle

The law does not apply to:

• e-cigarettes (vaping)
• a driver who  is 17 years old if they are on their own in the car
• a convertible car with the roof completely down 

Every time a child breathes in secondhand smoke, they breathe in thousands of chemicals.  This puts them at risk of serious conditions including meningitis, cancer, bronchitis and pneumonia.  It can also make asthma worse.

For more information please contact our Criminal Law Department on 01553 778100.